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VOICE FROM RICHMOND, 



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TO 

CHILDREN AND YOUTH. 

BY THE LATE. 

/ 

/ 

REV. ROBERT MAY. 

It 

WITH 

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 



BEVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION OF THE 
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 



AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 

PHILADELPHIA: 

No. 146 CHESTNUT STREET. 



/ ^' 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1842, 
by Herman Cope, Treasurer, in trust for the American Sun- 
day-school Union, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court 
of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



.<^, 



Stereotyped by L. Johmon, PhUaddphia. 



PREFACE. 



The Rev. Robert May was bom at 
Woodbridge, in the county of Suffolk, 
(England,) in 1790; and at the age of 
sixteen we find him a pupil in the Mis- 
sionary Seminary at Gosport, (England.) 
He says of himself, that when he "was 
about seven or eight years of age he was 
deeply impressed with his lost state as a 
sinner, by reading ^ Janeway's Token for 
Children.' The address at the beginning 
of the book, and the example in the first 
part, made a deep impression on his 
mind.'*' During one of his vacations he 
joined two of his school-mates in a weekly 
visit of charity to the parish poor-house, 

and while there his heart was moved 

3 



4 PREFACE. 

with pity for the children who were at 
play in the yard, and for whose souls 
none seemed to care. Young May in- 
vited them to come into the house, and 
hear what was said to the sick people. 
They were much pleased with the notice 
that he took of them, especially as most 
of them were either orphans or friendless 
children, and seldom received such atten- 
tion. Several of them followed him into 
the house, who were soon joined by 
others, and they were all very still and 
attentive to what was said. 

So pleasant and useful was the impres- 
sion made on their minds by this exercise, 
that it was regularly repeated for several 
weeks. Mr. May was encouraged by 
the success of this effort to extend his 
labours, and in the course of the four fol- 
lowing years his lectures were attended 
by upwards of three thousand children. 



PREFACE. 5 

In December, 1810, he embarked for 
India, by way of the United States, and 
arrived at Philadelphia in March, 1811. 
He addressed large assemblies of children 
on two or three occasions, and re-embarked 
in May, but meeting a heavy gale of 
wind, which occasioned damage to the 
ship, he returned to Philadelphia to await 
a more favourable opportunity for a 
voyage to India. 

He soon re-commenced his course of 
lectures, which were attended by many 
hundreds of children ; and he continued 
them until he finally embarked for India, 
where he arrived in August, 1812. He 
laboured faithfully for six years in that pa- 
gan land, and on the 11th of August, 1818, 
he fell asleep in Jesus, and entered into the 
rest that remaineth for the people of God. 

During the closing hours of his severe 
illness, his mind wandered, but even then 

1* 



6 PREFACE. 

his thoughts were evidently turned towards 
the Saviour ; for when he fancied some one 
had brought him a rich present of gold 
and silver, he refused it, saying, " I want 
none of your gold and silver, it is the 
Lord Jesus Christ whom I want." He 
was a man of a truly catholic spirit, and 
mourned over every appearance of alien- 
ation and bitterness among Christians. 
He was also remarkable for his mildness 
and evenness of temper, which was one 
cause of the love which children felt 
for him. 

The following lectures have been care- 
fully revised ; the typographical arrange- 
ment improved, and some embellishments 
added, under the impression that there 
are few books better adapted to illustrate 
and enforce the great principles of religion 
and moraUty upon the minds of young 
children. 



CONTENTS. 



Lecture Page 

I. — A Voice from Richmond 9 

11. — Divine Arithmetic 33 

III. — David's Dying Advice to his Son . . 53 
IV. — Advantages of an Early Love to Jesus 73 

v.— The Character of the Child's best 

Friend 101 

VI.— Christ in the Temple 125 

VII.— The Good Child's Petition .... 149 

VIII.— The Way to be Wise 173 

IX. — Danger of Bad Company . . . .195 

X. — Obedience to Parents . . . . . .215 

XL— Duties of the School 235 

XII. — A Word in Season ; or, Death and 

Judgment 255 

XIIL— The Missionary's Farewell .... 280 



VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 



LECTURE I. 

A Voice from Richmond. 
Rom. vi. 21. — " For the end of those things is deaths 
My DEAR yOUNG FRIENDS, 

You are come, this afternoon, to im- 
prove the awful calamity which happened 
about five weeks ago at Richmond, in 
Virginia,* with the particulars of which 

* The following brief narrative of the calamity 
is authentic : 

It took place on the night of the 26th of Decem- 
ber, 1811. The theatre, which was built entirely 
of wood, and otherwise badly constructed, stood 
upon the brow of Shockhoe hill, and upon the 
very spot which is now the site of what is called 
the Monumental Church. On this night, particu- 

9 



10 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

you are but too well acquainted. Would 

to God they were less mournful, and the 

young and lovely sufferers less numerous. 

In the long list of the dead and missing 



larly, a new play and pantomime had been got up, 
and a large and brilliant crowd of gentlemen and 
ladies, of the very flower of the population, em- 
bracing the newly elected governor of the Common- 
wealth, and many citizens of wealth and fashion, 
were assembled at an early hour to enjoy the enter- 
tainments of the evening. It was truly a brilliant 
display ; and, for some time, all went on gayly and 
happily enough. The play was over — the first act 
of the pantomime had passed by — the second and 
last was now begun — and all eyes were intently 
fixed upon the actor, who had come forward on the 
stage towards the lights, and was moving, to the 
music of the orchestra — when suddenly a bustling 
noise was heard from behind the scenes, towards 
the rear of the building. This, it seems, was oc- 
casioned by the fact that a servant who had been 
ordered to hoist up a chandelier, in doing so had 
got the rope entangled, and jerking to clear it, 
had swung it against one of the painted scenes, 
which instantly caught fire, and sent up a sheet of 
flame to the roof. This was not plastered, but 
consisting only of rafters covered with light pine 



A VOICE PROM RICHMOND. 11 

we find no less than thirty-six young 
persons, in the prime of life, lovely as 
morning rose buds, and fair as the flowers 
of spring. And to this list, I believe, may 



boards and shingles, very dry, it kindled at once ; 
and the actors, with their assistants, were trying 
to tear down the scenes, to put out the fire. This 
movement, however, was not immediately seen 
by the spectators, being hidden from their view 
by the interposing scene; and they were still 
watching the progress of the piece, when they 
saw a shower of sparks and burning matter fall 
upon the actor before them. At this some were 
startled, while others apparently thought that it 
might be only a part of the show. A moment 
afterwards, some one exclaimed, "There is no 
danger," and only forced the sense of it more 
strongly upon their fears ; when one of the per- 
formers rushed forward to the front of the staore, 
and cried, " the house is on fire," — pointing at the 
same time to the ceiling, where the fire was now 
seen running like lightning along the roof. In- 
stantly, all was horror and dismay. The cry of 
" fire !" " fire !" rang through the building, mingled 
with the shrieks of women and children, in frantic 
consternation. Husbands looked for their wives — 
mothers for their children — while some, almost 



12 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

be added, six dear little children, who 
perished in the flames. The exact num- 
ber of persons, young and old, will per- 
haps never be ascertained, but it is sup- 



frenzied by the sense of danger, thought only of 
themselves. 

There was, of course, a general rush of all at 
once to escape out of the house as fast as possible, 
by the nearest way. Those in the pit easily got to 
the outer door, which was not far off. Those in 
the galleries also, or most of them, flying down the 
stairs, soon passed into the street. But the spec- 
tators in the boxes were not so fortunate. Some 
few of them, indeed, had leaped into the pit, and 
got out with the rest from that part, and a few 
others had been helped on to the stage, and hurried 
oflf the back way; while a small number still 
bravely kept their seats, only to meet the fate 
which they hoped to avoid ; but the great mass of 
them, crowding tumultuously into the narrow lob- 
bies, in the wildest disorder, stopped each others' 
progress towards the door, while the suffocating 
smoke, which soon filled the house, extinguished 
the lights and stifled its victims ; and the flames, 
which now flashed in lurid sheets, as they ran 
along the light wooden work of the boxes, caught 
the clothes of the fugitives in the rear, and wrapped 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 13 

posed to be nearly two hundred ! Let us 

pause Is it true? Or did 1 only 

dream, that thirty-six young persons 
perished in the flames? Did I read that 



them at once in palls of fire and death. Happy 

now were those who had reached the windows, 

where a stream of fresh air from without revived 

their failing senses, and enabled them to hurry on 

for their lives, or to escape perhaps to the ground. 

For by this time, many of those who had got out 

from the pit and galleries were seen gathered in 

crowds below, stretching out their arms, and calling 

on those within to leap into them for safely. 

Some did so from the first, and some even from the 

second story ; and a number escaped in this way, 

while a few were either killed, or shockingly 

mangled by the fall. Those, in the meantime, who 

had succeeded so far as to clear the lobbies, found 

themselves again stopped, and straitened in the 

narrow angular stairs that ran from the landing of 

the boxes into the common entry, or pent up in the 

small passage at the bottom, where the only door 

which opened inwards had been shut to by the 

rushing crowd, and could not be forced back for 

some time, even by the help of hands from without. 

Here, then, some were crushed to death by others, 

who, even less happy, escaped at last over their 

2 



14 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

five or six children lost their lives in the 
burning ruins of the theatre at Richmond? 
What must their parents feel ? I think I 
see their burnt and mangled bodies, 



dead bodies, through the door now opened, but 
horribly scorched or burnt, and only to die in the 
arms of their shuddering friends. 

By this time, (although only six or seven mi- 
nutes had passed,) the whole house was in a light 
blaze, that brightened the windows of the houses 
far and near with its dismal light; the bells were 
tolling with most appalling sound ; and hundreds 
of citizens, roused from their beds, and alarmed 
for the safety of their relatives and friends, were 
rushing to the scene, but too late to save, or find 
them. The rest may be imagined, but cannot, and 
perhaps ought not to be described. There was no 
sleep in Richmond that night; but the voice of 
weeping was heard from many dwellings. 

The day after this awful occurrence, the Com- 
mon Council of the city convened, and passed a 
resolution prohibiting all public amusements within 
the limits, for four months ensuing ; and a meeting 
of citizens was held in the capitol, at which it was 
resolved, that the remains of the dead should be 
collected and buried together on the spot where 
they had expired ; and that a monument should be 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 15 

wrapped carefully up, and carried to their 
houses of mourning from the house of 
mirth. I see them but in part. Their 
half burnt bodies and their smoking 
bones ! I pity them, but they are now 
beyond my pity I I could weep with 
weeping parents, and sympathize with 
sorrowful brothers and sisters, but they 
cannot see my tears. 

" may our sympathizing breasts 
That gen'rous pleasure know, 

Kindle to share in others' joy, 
And weep for others' wo." 

Their remains are now deposited in the 
house appointed for all living. Their 
ashes rest in peace, within the silent tomb. 
There they will be undisturbed, till that 
trump shall sound which shall call the 
dead to arise and come to judgment. 

raised over them to record the remembrance of their 
fate. And it was also determined, that a day 
should be set apart for fasting, humiliation, and 
prayer, in commemoration of an event, in which all 
who had any sense of piety could not but see and 
acknowledge, that the hand of God had been most 
strikingly and affectingly displayed. 



16 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

Hark ! from the eternal world, I hear a 
voice ! To you, my dear young friends, 
that voice is directed. Methinks the de- 
parted spirit of one of those dear children 
is now before me : — Attend to the solemn 
admonition. 

" I have a message from God unto you. 
Shun the theatre: avoid the haunts of 
Satan, the destroyer of your souls. Seek 
for real pleasure. Do not pursue the 
phantom of imaginary happiness, which 
will at last deceive you. It may seem to 
be delightful, it appeared the same to me, 
but I now find that I have been fatally 
mistaken. My sun went down while it 
was yet day. How awful the change ! 
From the meridian splendour of a noon- 
day sun, to be suddenly enveloped in 
midnight darkness ! Yes, with the black- 
ness of darkness forever ! Five weeks 
ago, I was in life, blooming, healthy and 
gay. I thought, like many others, that 
there was no harm in attending on the 
amusements of the theatre, and from per- 
suasion and example I was confirmed in 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 17 

my opinion. That very afternoon, I 
laughed at a young lady for saying that 
* the theatre was a very improper place ; 
that many had been ruined, body and 
soul, by attending at such places of amuse- 
ment.' Ah, my young friends, I wish I 
had felt the force of her observation. I 
went. I expected pleasure, and for a 
short time I joined the laugh of those 
around me, and mingled my smiles with 
their shouts of applause. The whole 
scene was before us ; all around was mirth 
and pleasure; but in two minutes after, I 
was surrounded with cries of anguish and 
despair. Suffocated with smoke, I fainted 
and fell, blazing, into the pit, and was 
crushed and covered with the burning 
ruins. I was unprepared for death, and 
hurried unexpectedly into eternity. My 
state is now unalterably fixed forever." 
Attend to the warning. Behold the dis- 
pleasure of a holy God. Profit by the 
warning thus awfully given, and remem- 
ber that "the end of these things is 
death." 2* 



18 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

" See the short course of vain delight, 
Closing in everlasting night; 
In flames that no abatement know, 
Though briny tears forever flovi^." 

Let us inquire, or rather speak of those 
things, the end of which is sometimes 
death. It is not necessary what things 
those are, in particular, that the apostle 
means. It is sufficient to say, that he 
means all kinds of sinful pleasures in 
general : all that is in the world, the lust 
of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the 
pride of life. These things are not from 
God, but from man, from the world. 

1. There are sports in which the young 
engage, which sometimes prove, in the end, 
to be both temporal and eternal death ; I 
mean those which employ the leisure 
hours of the thoughtless and wicked child. 
At this season of the year, when you are 
in the habit of skating on the weak ice, 
it breaks under you, and you have no time 
or warning to escape from being buried in 
a watery grave. Sailing on the water in 
a boat, conducted by unskilful managers : 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 19 

swinging, when the rope is not well se- 
cured on the beam, or on the branch of a 
tree, nor sufficiently strong: climbing a 
lofty tree : walking on the roof of a house 
&c., in many such ways you may receive 
a fall, the end of which may be death. 
A few months ago, a little boy fell from 
the roof of a house, and was killed on the 
spot. Bathing is extremely healthy, only 
you should take care not to go in too far, 
for fear of being out of your depth ; you 
should not stop in the water too long at 
once, and never bathe when you are warm. 
Balancing upon a plank laid across a tree 
or piece of timber sometimes proves dan- 
gerous, for when the plank slips, the ba- 
lance is lost ; and the child that is hoisted 
up may fall and hurt himself. The plea- 
sures of the dancing-room are also dan- 
gerous. Let me ask you why you learn 
to dance ? It may be answered, " that I 
may know how to behave in a polite com- 
pany, that I may know how to enter a 
room and leave it in a suitable manner ; 



20 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

that I may be able to make an elegant 
courtesy, or a graceful bow.'' 

Cannot these be learned without spend- 
ing so much time ? 

" But where is the harm of dancing ?'' 

The only harm that I can see in the 
thing itself is, that time is wasted which 
might be much better employed. It is 
not the dancing only, but it is the time 
it consumes, the company to which it 
leads, the health which it destro^^s ; it is 
that the mind is taken from things of 
greater importance. 

2. The follies of the card table. There 
are different kinds of cards. There are 
playing cards, and these are most general- 
ly used. There are conversation cards. 
There are geographical, and puzzling 
cards; and there are Scripture cards. You 
may not be acquainted with all these 
different kinds of cards, but I have seen 
them all. Playing cards are those used 
in card parties in general, and they are the 
cards which are the most useless, waste 
the most time and the most property. 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 21 

" Well, but there is no harm in them, 
if we do not play for money ?" 

Yes, there is harm ; it is a kind of silent 
gaming, which has often ended in pover- 
ty, misery, shame and death. There are 
conversation cards, but there are different 
kinds of them ; some of which are more fit 
for the fire than for the amusement of the 
young. Some of them contain useful and 
entertaining questions, which are answered 
in such an interesting manner as to give 
pleasure to all who use them. 

3. There are geographical cards, which 
are very useful and improving to the 
young. For example, a geographical card 
contains a geographical question, and this 
is answered by a card which gives a short 
description of the country, extent, bound- 
aries, rivers, population, capital, curiosities, 
&c. Puzzling cards are sometimes very 
amusing and entertaining indeed, as eacli 
card contains an emblem or representation, 
and is the name of some animal, flower, 
country, nation, or trade. There are Scrip- 
ture cards, which are suitable for those 



22 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

children who love their Bibles, and who 
love their Saviour and their Maker. They 
contain some interesting questions or pas- 
sage of Scripture. All these kinds, except 
the first, will improve your minds, extend 
your knowledge, and promote useful con- 
versation; while, at the same time, you 
are amused and entertained in a delightful 
manner. But how persons who have souls 
to be saved can spend so much time in 
throwing down and taking up pieces of 
painted paper, is indeed truly wonderful. 
What conversation passes at the card table, 
how insignificant, how trifling, how non- 
sensical, how sinful and wicked, when the 
same time might be usefully employed ! 

4. Theamusementof the theatre. — Here, 
my young friends, I shall have reason to 
rejoice if I can but prevent one of you 
from attending at this destructive place. 
0, to save one soul from infamy and ruin 
would give me more pleasure than to gain 
ten thousand worlds ! 

It has been said, that the theatre is a 
useful school, in which persons may learn 



A VOICE FROJr RICHMOND. 23 



much, if they please. Much of what? 
Much of evil ; much of vice. Tell me 
what the lessons are that are taught in a 
theatre ? Is not the holy name of Jehovah 
trifled with, blasphemed and profaned ? 
Tell me of one rake reformed in a theatre, 
and I will tell you of a thousand who have 
been made the most abandoned rakes bv 
it. Tell me of one drunkard who has been 
made sober at the theatre, and I will tell 
you of a thousand who have been made 
drunkards there. Tell me of one spend- 
thrift who has been taught at the theatre to 
be careful of his character, his time, and 
money, and I will tell you of many who 
have been taught to be careless of their 
time and their property. Tell me if at 
the theatre the heart is made better, or the 
mind improved, and I will tell you that 
many learn their worst vices in a theatre, 
that hearts have been more depraved there 
than they were before, and the mind is 
polluted there by poison the most deadly. 
It has been said, that many good senti- 
ments may be heard at the theatre ; but 



24 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

for one good one that you hear, there are 
hundreds, nay, thousands of sentiments 
that are evil. The sentiments contained 
in plays are either immoral or impure. 
That there are some few good sentiments, 
I do not deny ; but the heart is so depraved 
that it is prone to that which is evil and 
averse to that which is good. 

Some say, it is a harmless diversion ; an 
innocent amusement. This I deny. The 
scenes and amusements of the theatre are 
not so. When the play is over, you are 
unfit for serious reflection, the mind is 
dejected, weakened, relaxed and injured. 
Are there not amusements more rational, 
better suited to an immortal mind, and less 
expensive too ? 

" But," says one, "you call the theatre a 
bad place, and endeavour to persuade us 
not to go. I have heard that a person may 
learn as much by seeing a good play, as 
by hearing a good sermon. '^ 

A good play, did you say ? There are 
none good, no, not one. Virtue is painted 
in an angel's form and Vice wears the 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 25 

shape of the devil. ReUgion is ridiculed, 
and serious things treated with mockery 
and contempt. Can you learn at a theatre 
that the heart is deceitful ? That your 
natures are depraved ? That man is not 
what he was when he came from the 
hands of his Creator ? Did you ever hear 
at a theatre that you were poor, lost and 
guilty sinners ; that without a Saviour, 
without pardon of sin and holiness of heart, 
you must be miserable forever ? 

" But," says another, "it is a place of di- 
version, and we are not always to.be think- 
ing about religion ; we should be poor, 
moping, melancholy creatures, if we were 
always thinking on that which is good." 

True, it is a place of diversion, a place 
of sinful pleasure and of guilty joy, where 
you feast your eyes with evil, your ears 
with profaneness, your hearts with impu- 
rity and sin. All your depraved passions 
are excited to the uttermost. 

Are there no pleasures equal to those 
of a theatre ? Can an immortal soul be 
satisfied with such vain delights ? There 

3 



26 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

are no pleasures equal to those which 
religion and early piety can give. These 
are suitable, solid, innocent and lasting. 
They will bear repeating, they will endure 
forever. 

" I do not go often to the theatre.'' 

But why go at all ? A play is such a 
bewitching, captivating thing, that when 
you have been once, you will want to go 
again. The eye is never satisfied with 
seeing, nor the ear with hearing. 

" If I do go, I will take care to sit where 
I can easily escape." 

But however good your situation may 
be, you may be prevented from escaping. 
Where you think yourself most secure, 
you may be in the greatest danger. 

"But there are no less than 'sixteen 
ways' of escape, if the theatre should take 
fire ; the doors open 'outward and inward,' 
so that there would be no danger." 

Notwithstanding all these doors and 
windows, you may be in danger. You 
do not consider, that upon the alarm of 
fire, what confusion, what agitation of 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 27 

mind follows on such occasions. If all 
these means of safety could be employed, 
yet such would be the state of mind, that 
amidst the bustle they would be forgotten. 
Drury Lane theatre, in London, was burnt, 
notwithstanding every means used to pre- 
vent it. It would be almost a miracle if 
all these doors could be opened, and amidst 
the crowd and hurry of escape some were 
not beaten down, and trodden under foot. 
Who so likely as the fainting female, or 
the little boy ? and if one life were lost, 
can you tell that it would not be yours ? 

" But my parents, my companions go ; 
they think there is no harm, no danger in 
attending the theatre, why should I ? I 
shall be as safe as they; do you think they 
would go if there Avas any harm or dan- 
ger !" 

Too many persons think only of the 
pleasure, and forget the pain ; if they can 
taste the sweet of a play, they run the 
hazard of swallowing the bitter with it. 
So intent were the inhabitants of Rich- 
mond on the pleasures of the theatre, that 



28 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

they forgot those means of safety which 
might have been provided. They were 
thoughtless of the danger. They delayed 
to open new doors, to make the narrow 
winding staircase, open, straight, and wide : 
they "trusted and were ruined !" They pe- 
rished at last, as they think, by their own 
neglect; but it was the hand of God alone. 
" But to suppose the worst, and I 
should lose my life and perish in the 
flames, I am safe after all. I shall go to 
heaven. I read these words, written by 
a gentleman at Richmond — 'Yes, all Rich- 
mond is in tears ; children have lost their 
parents, parents have lost their children. 
Yesterday, a beloved daughter gladdened 
my heart with her innocent smiles. To- 
day she is in heaven. God gave her to 
me, and God — yes, it has pleased Almighty 
God to take her from me. sir, feel for 
me ; and not for me only. Arm yourself 
with fortitude, whilst I discharge the 
mournful duty of telling you, that you 
have to feel also for yourself Yes, for it 
must be told, you also were the father of 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 29 

an amiable daughter, now, like my be- 
loved child, gone to join her mother in 
heaven. moment of inexpressible hor- 
ror ! Nothing I can say can paint the 
awful, shocking, maddening scene. The 
images of both my dear children were 
before me ; but I was removed by an im- 
passable crowd from the dear sufferers. 
The youngest, with gratitude to Heaven 
I write it, sprang towards the voice of her 
father, reached my assisting hand, and was 
extricated from the overwhelming mass 
that soon choked the passage by the stairs; 
but no efforts could avail me to reach, or 
even gain sight of the other. And my 
dear, dear Margaret, and your sweet 
Mary, with her companions. Miss G * * * * 
and Miss G ***** *, passed together and 
at once into a happier world.' " 

Whatever influence these expressions 
may have upon your minds, it is my duty 
to remove them. The young persons 
here spoken of are unknown to me ; but if 
they were like other young persons who 
generally attend the amusements of the 

3* 



30 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

theatre, however beautiful or lovely in 
their person, however amiable in their dis- 
position, and moral in their conduct, yet, 
if they were strangers to the grace of God; 
if their hearts were not renewed and their 
sins pardoned ; if they were lovers of 
pleasure more than lovers of God, my 
Bible tells me, they are not in heaven. 
The fondness of a parent's love may think, 
or rather wish them there, but if they were 
not beloved by their heavenly Father, as 
well as their earthly parents, they are not 
the inhabitants of that place, where " there 
is fulness of joy, and where there are 
pleasures for evermore." They might be 
ignorant of the danger of attending a 
theatre ; but I think no pious parents 
would permit their children to attend at a 
place so dangerous and injurious to their 
morals, their reputation, and their souls. 

It is the duty of parents to put their 
children in mind of these things. I would 
much rather meet death in any other place 
than a theatre. Therefore, my young 
friends, take heed ; be not carried away 



A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 31 

with the hasty expressions of mourning, 
affectionate parents : " Be not deceived ; 
whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall 
also reap ; for he that soweth to the flesh, 
shall of the flesh reap corruption ; and he 
that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit 
reap life everlasting." 

And now, my dear young friends, let 
me earnestly exhort you to seek such 
amusements as are healthy, innocent, and 
useful: but avoid, as you would a serpent, 
the amusement of the theatre. 

The haunts of the theatre lead down 
to the gates of eternal death ; but the 
ways of religion " are ways of pleasant- 
ness, and all her paths are peace." 

then, my dear young friends, be not 
partakers in the sins of others, lest God, 
in his awful displeasure, should make you 
partakers in their punishment. Remem- 
ber that, whatever you may think, the 
word of God says *'the end of these things 
is death." It has been so in the awful 
experience of many — death to the body, 
and eternal death to the soul. 



32 A VOICE FROM RICHMOND. 

"Children, awake, nor slumbering lie 
Amidst the gloomy haunts of death ; 
Perhaps the awful hour is nigh 
That takes away your parting breath. 

" That awful hour will soon appear ; 
Swift on the wings of time it flies : 
When all that pains or pleases here 
Will vanish from your closing eyes. 

" Death calls your friends, your parents hence, 
None can resist the fatal dart ; 
Continual voices strike your sense, 
And shall they fail to reach your heart 1 

** Shall gay amusements rise between, 
When scenes of horror spread around 1 
Death's pointed arrows fly unseen, 

But ah, how sure, how deep they wound ! 

"Think, dear young friends, how much depends 
On the short period of a day ; 
Shall time, which Heaven in mercy lends, 
Be negligently thrown away 1 

" Insure your nobler life on high, 

Life from a dying Saviour's blood! 
Then, though your minutes swiftly fly, 
They bear you nearer to your God." 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 33 



LECTURE IL 

Divine Arithmetic. 

Psalm xc. 12. — "<Sb teach us to number our days^ 
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.''^ 

My young friends, 

Time is short, eternity will last forever. 
Youth and beauty are but fading flowers. 
Health is the greatest blessing we can 
enjoy. Therefore, let us improve the 
morning of life. Youth is indeed a time 
of harvest. In it, you may reap an abun- 
dant crop of real pleasure and useful 
knowledge. Now it is summer time with 
my dear young friends, but remember 
that the winter of old age will soon ap- 
proach. Make your hay while the sun 
shines. " Remember now thy Creator in 
the days of thy youth." 

Time is represented as a little old man 
with a bald head, except a lock of hair 



34 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

on the forehead, intimating that we should 
improve the present moment, for when it 
is past, it cannot be laid hold of. 

" One lock in front the ancients placed; 
The head behind was bald, 
To show that time, when once 'tis past, 
Can never be recalled." 

He has also an hour-glass and a scythe, 
beside him or in his hand, all of which 
are to remind us that all things beneath 
the sun are transitory and swiftly pass 
away. 

We are told that time has four eyes, 
two before and two behind, two of which 
are always open and two are shut, to de- 
note that time regards what is past as 
well as what is to come. 

Time is also painted with four wings, 
two stretched out as if he was flying, and 
two lying close to his back, as if he was 
standing still. 

Time and tide, the proverb says, stay 
for no man. You may think that there 
is time enough yet to think of religion, 
death and eternity ; but remember how 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 35 

much there is to do, and how short a space 
of time there may be in which to do so 
great a work. Bad children are in general 
very great wasters of time. As every 
shred of gold is precious, so is every mo- 
ment of time. Make good use of your 
time, if you wish to be happy in eternity. 
Yesterday cannot be recalled. Seize 
time by the forelock. 

To-morrow is not yours ; to-day is all 
that you can call your own, which, if 
you delay, you lose ; and when lost it is 
lost forever. One day present, is worth 
two to come. Time is given us that we 
may prepare for eternity, and eternity will 
not be too long to regret the loss of our 
time, if we have mispent it. Time is one 
of those blessings which we want most, 
but use the worst, and for which we must 
give an account when time shall be no 
more. 

A very rich, but a very wicked man, 
who died in England some years ago, 
with his last agonizing breath cried out, 
"Twenty thousand pounds for a week, 



36 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

sixty thousand for a day, and an hundred 
thousand for an hour." With these awful 
but unavaiHng expressions on his lips, he 
expired, leaving behind him a solemn 
warning to all to redeem their time. 
my dear young friends, let us turn the 
words of our text into a prayer, and say 
with Moses, that holy man of God, " So 
teach us to number our days that we may 
apply our hearts unto wisdom." 

I. Let us look at the school in which 
this holy art of numbering our days is 
taught. The only school in which we can 
learn to number our days, improve our 
time, and apply our hearts to true wisdom, 
is the present world. It is in this life only 
that we can seek the salvation of the soul, 
and by the Spirit of God be prepared for 
eternal life in the world to come. 

In what respects does this world resemble 
a school ? 

In a school different branches of educa- 
tion are taught. It is there that children 
are instructed to speak properly, to think 
closely, to hear attentively, to read correct- 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 37 

ly, and to copy faithfully whatever is laid 
before them for imitation. In the world, 
different examples of evil and good are 
before our eyes, and those who cannot read 
books can read lives, and though unable 
to copy a single letter in the alphabet, yet 
they can and do follow the examples of 
others, and tread in the steps of playmates, 
school-fellows and parents. Youth are too 
apt to follow a bad example rather than a 
good one. This world is a place of learn- 
ing, and its inhabitants are growing wiser 
every day. 

In a school, children are under some 
restraint. It is so in the present world. 
What a great regard have many for the 
opinion of the world. Many there are 
who would not be ashamed to sin openly, 
were it not for fear of what the world 
would say of them. 

In a school, children are divided into 
difterent classes. The world, or the peo- 
ple in it, are divided by the Bible into 
two great classes, the righteous and the 
wicked, or the good and the bad. 

4 



38 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

In a school, tliere is sometimes much 
noise and bustle, especially in coming in 
and going out. So it is with many persons, 
there is much noise and bustle when they 
enter this world, and when they go out. 

In a school, the scholars frequently re- 
move and others fill their places. So 
it is in the present world, one generation 
passeth away and another cometh. 

In a school, there is a vacation or holi- 
day when children usually rest from their 
lessons and duties for a time. At death, 
when persons leave the present world, 
they rest from all their toils and all their 
labours ; they die and go to their long home. 

"'Tis God has placed us in this school, 
Where every lesson of his grace 
And all the discipline and rule 
Prepare us for a heavenly place." 

II. Inquire for the Teacher. The art 
of numbering our days is a holy art, and 
can be taught only by a divine teacher. It 
is heavenly wisdom to which we are to 
apply our hearts, and this can only be done 
by the assistance of a divine teacher. It 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 39 

is the Lord alone that can give us time. 
It is to him that we must give an account 
of a talent so precious, and it is He alone 
that can teach by his Spirit how to improve 
it. Happy, my dear young friends, will 
it be for you to have such a Teacher as the 
Spirit of the Lord. 

It is the Lord alone that can teach us 
the true value of our time. We are often 
reminded in the word of God of the short- 
ness of time. " What is your life ?" saith 
the apostle ; " it is even as a vapour which 
appeareth for a little time and then vanish- 
eth away." Remember the time is short. 
Redeem the time, because the days are evil. 
God, who is liberal in all other blessings, 
teaches us by the wisdom of his provi- 
dence how careful we ought to be in the 
improvement of our time. God never 
gives two moments together. He gives 
us only the second as he takes away the 
first, and keeps the third moment entirely 
in his own power, and we are left in an 
absolute uncertainty whether he will give 
it to us or not. 



40 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

"To-day improve," is Wisdom's voice, 
"To-morrow,*' Folly cries; 
And still to-morrow 'tis; when oh ! 
To-day the sinner dies. 

III. The scholars are mentioned next in 
the words of the text. So teach us. One 
is saying, Lord, teach me, and another is 
saying, Lord, teach ine, and a third is say- 
ing. Lord, teach me. But this is what you 
ought to say. Lord, teach us all. The scho- 
lars are very numerous ; what a noble com- 
pany of scholars do I see before me at this 
time, and attentive ones too. There are 
not only a few hundreds or a few thou- 
sands, but the children in the universe are 
scholars in this school ; and though it is so 
very large, yet the Lord is able to teach 
you all without the assistance of any other 
teacher. But though the Lord does not 

o 

stand in need of any assistant teacher, yet, 
like other teachers, he thinks fit to make 
use of a monitor in this large school. 

Now I think I hear a whisper," Who is 
the monitor ? who is the monitor?" I will 
tell you, my dear young friends. The 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 41 

name of the monitor is Conscience. By 
him we are reminded of the shortness of 
time, and the account that we must give, to 
the great Teacher and Master of assem- 
bhes, of the manner in which it has been 
spent. And by this monitor we are fre- 
quently sharply reproved for the many 
hours and days that have been wasted in 
idleness and sinful delight. 

what a sad report does this monitor 
give to the Teacher, concerning many of 
the scholars in this school ! 

Some are obstinate scholars ; some are 
dull scholars ; some are hard-hearted scho- 
lars ; some are veiy careless, and take no 
pains at all to improve their time ; but there 
are a few who seem desirous of numbering 
their days and applying their hearts unto 
wisdom. They appear serious and though t- 
ful, and may soon be distinguished from 
the other scholars in this school. 

The only school book made use of in 
this school, is the Bible. The copy you 
should imitate is a good example, and the 

4* 



42 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

arithmetic they study is divine. This is 
the song of the scholars — 

" Well, if our days must run, 
We'll keep their end in sight, 
We'll spend them all in wisdom's way. 
And let them speed their flight." 

IV. I come next to consider the educa- 
tion spoken of in the text ; that is, what 
you have to learn. This I shall divide into 
two branches. 

1st. The art of numbering our days. 
That you may do it aright, let us begin 
by enumerating the mercies you have 
received. 

How many are the days and nights 
that you have been preserved ! God has 
blessed you with health and strength; 
with food and clothing; with kind and 
indulgent parents. To some of you, God 
has given pious parents, by whose pray- 
ers and instructions you have been blessed ; 
and they have given you a suitable educa- 
tion. You have been taught a variety of 
the useful and ornamental branches of 
education. Some of you have been bless- 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 43 

ed with pious teachers, and have been 
taught the principles of that reKgion which 
alone can make you happy in this life and 
in the life to come. Many of you not only 
enjoy every necessary, but the delicacies 
and comforts of life, and even the super- 
fluities of life. Many are the religious 
advantages that you enjoy ; you hear the 
gospel of Jesus ; you can read the word 
of God; Jesus is ready to be your best 
friend, the Holy Spirit waits to teach you, 
and God himself will be your guide. 
Even this lecture is a privilege. 

" Great are the blessings we enjoy, 
Above what millions know ; 
And when we hear thy holy word, 
A blessing, Lord, bestow." 

2d. Let us add up, or count the returns 
that have been made to God for all these 
mercies. Do you thank God sincerely for 
his goodness to you ? Have you been obe- 
dient to your parents and attentive to their 
advice ? Are you diligent in the duties 
of the school, and have you made that 
improvement there which you ought ? 



44 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

Do you know the principles of religion, 
or, I might say, do you know your cate- 
chism ? Have you attended these lectures, 
or the house of God to hear his word on 
the Sabbath-day ? Are you thankful for 
your food and raiment, and other comforts 
which you enjoy ? I think you ought to 
be, when you know how many are desti- 
tute of them. Many persons in Switzer- 
land, in the year 1803, had no other food 
than that which was made of bones, chaff, 
and the bark of a fir-tree. This they dipped 
in hot water and salt, and ate it instead of 
bread. And yet how many unthankful 
children there are in the world ? Do you 
not often neglect to pray to God ? Do 
you know Jesus Christ ? Do you love 
him ? Have you prayed to be taught, by 
the Spirit of God, how to improve your 
time and to number your days.^ Did 
you ever say, 

" O may thy Spirit teach, 

And make my heart receive 
Those truths which all thy servants preach, 
And all thy saints believe 1" 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 45 

3d. Endeavour to subtract the time 
that has been wasted and lost. So much 
time wasted in saying, "a Httle more sleep 
and a httle more slumber ;" so much time 
wasted in waiting for and eating your 
food; so much time in dressing and adorn- 
ing the body ; so much time in idleness 
and play ; so much time in walking, riding, 
skating, sliding, on the Sabbath-day; so 
much time in loitering in the street as you 
go and as you come home from school ; 
so much time in learning an idle song, in 
reading a novel or a romance; so much time 
spent at the theatre ; so much time at the 
horse-race; so much time in idle company; 
so much time in doing nothing at all. A 
wise man once said, " We all complain of 
the shortness of time, and yet we have 
much more than we know what to do 
with. Our days are either spent in doing 
nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the 
purpose ; or in doing that which we ought 
not to do." Take away the time that has 
been lost or wasted, and the time spent in 



46 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

that which is really necessary, how little 
will remain for God and religion ! 

4th. Proceed to multiply the sins that 
you have committed during the past year, 
allowing three sins in each day, one idle 
word, one sinful action, one evil thought ; 
multiply this by three, and it will amount 
to one thousand and ninety-five sins in one 
year. If we count from the time that 
you were five years old, and suppose you 
to be now ten years, by multiplying by 
five it will amount to five thousand four 
himdred and seventy-five. If you are 
fifteen years of age, we may double this 
number, and by so doing you will find that 
you have committed ten thousand nine 
hundred nnd fifty sins in the space of ten 
years. But this is only allowing you to 
have committed three sins in one day, while 
many of you have committed twice and 
perhaps three times as many. what an 
amazing number of sins, and for every one 
of these you must give an account to God ! 

5th. Let us divide the present 3^ear in a 
suitable manner. There are twenty-four 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 47 

hours ill one day. Allow eight hours for 
sleep, eight hours for eating,drinking,dress- 
ing, reading the Scriptures, praying to God, 
and other necessary things, and eight hours 
for going to school, learning your lessons, 
and storing every knowledge that is good 
and useful. Let your sport be improve- 
ment, harmless, useful and healthy. Let 
no day pass without prayer and reading 
the Bible or Testament ; and if you were 
to learn two or three verses every day, 
only think how many verses that would be 
in a year ! Let no day pass without doing 
or obtaining something good. You ought 
to think that day lost in which you have 
not learned any thing. An emperor, re- 
markable for his benevolent actions, cried 
out one day, at supper-time, " I have lost 
a day," because in that day he had done 
not one good action. 

6th. If you would number your days 
aright, you must pray for the Holy Spirit 
to assist you to put in practice those di- 
rections which have been given. Endea- 
vour to form for yourselves a certain plan 



48 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

for the regulation of your conduct and 
the improvement of your time. Abide by 
that plan, and never depart from it, unless 
from absolute necessity. One plan will 
suit you, and another will suit others. All 
cannot adopt the same, because of their 
circumstances. Never put off till to- 
morrow that which ought to be done to- 
day. 

A second branch of this education is 
the application of the heart to wisdom. 
Wisdom consists in using the best means 
to obtain any particular purpose or end. 
In every study or business in life, applica- 
tion is necessary. If you read, you must 
be attentive. If you hear, you must 
pay attention. If you write, you must 
take pains with your copy. If you cipher, 
you must think and apply your minds. 
If you are drawing, you must take parti- 
cular care to imitate the painting before 
you. If you learn a trade, you must ap- 
ply your mind ; if you are in business, you 
must be dihgent. Therefore, if applica- 
tion is necessary in the things of this life, 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 49 

it is much more so when we are seeking 
the salvation of the soul ; for that is the 
best wisdom. Be wise betimes, and re- 
member that the beginning of wisdom is 
the fear of the Lord : 

"The little ants for one poor grain 
Labour and tug and strive ; 
But we who have a heaven to obtain. 
How negligent we live !" 

God may say to some of you, " This 
year thou shalt die ; with thee time shall 
be no longer." Now, my young friends, 
look back upon the year that is past, think 
how that has been spent, and how much 
of it has been wasted and lost. Think 
how little time may now remain. Im- 
prove it to the utmost of your power. 
Think on the shortness of human life and 
the length of eternity. Compare one with 
the other. 

" 'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours, 
And ask them what report they bore to Heaven, 
And how they might have borne more welcome 
news." 

" Seek the Lord while he may be found, 
call upon him while he is near," for it is 

5 



50 DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 

time to apply your heart to that which 
will engage your souls through an end- 
less eternity. That you may know how 
many sins you commit in one year, allow- 
ing three to each day, it is here set down. 



Days in a year 

Sins in a day .... 


. 365 
3 


Sins in a year 

Sins in five years, multiply by . 


. 1095 
5 




5475 


For ten years 


. 1095 
10 



Sins in ten years . . . 10950 
Offer up the words of the text every day 
in your prayers to God that he would 
teach you rightly to number your days. 

" How long sometimes a day appears ! 
And weeks, how long are they ! 
Months move along, as if the years 
Would never pass away. 

" It seems a long, long time ago, 
That I was taught to read ; 
And since I was a babe, I know ! 
'Tis very long indeed. 



DIVINE ARITHMETIC. 51 

" But months and years are passing by, 
And soon must all be gone ; 
For day by day, as minutes fly, 
Eternity comes on. 

" Days, months and years must have an end ; 
Eternity has none ; 
'Twill always have as long to spend 
As when it first begrun ! 



o 



" Great God ! an infant cannot tell 
How such a thing can be; 
I only pray that I may dwell 
That long, long time with thee." 



David's dying advice to his son. 53 



LECTURE III. 

David's dying Advice to his Son, 

1 Chron. xxviii. 9. — '■'' And thou, Solomon my son, 
know thou ike God of thy father, and serve him 
with a perfect heart, and with a luilling mind: 
for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth 
all the imaginations of the thoughts : if thou seek 
him, he will be found of thee ,• but if thou forsake 
him, he will cast thee off forever.'''' 

My dear young friends, 

Let me entreat your serious attention. 
If you would know the difference between 
early piety and early wickedness, let me 
beg of you to be very attentive. Come, 
ye children, hearken unto me, and I will 
teach you the fear of the Lord. Let it be 
your business on earth, to prepare for 
heaven. 

True religion, or the fear of the Lord, 
is the greatest ornament you can wear in 
this world. It is the only jewel that you 

5* 



54 David's dying advice to his son. 

can carry with you to heaven. It is 
highly important and will be highly bene- 
ficial for you all to be on the side of the 
Lord. The tender buds of childhood 
should be devoted to God, as well as the 
opening blossoms of youth ; for out of the 
mouths of babes and sucklings God will 
perfect praise. 

David had assembled all the princes 
and captains of Israel, and he was about 
to leave his people and his crown. In 
the presence of the people he gave this 
advice to his son: "x\nd thou, Solomon 
my son, know thou the God of thy father, 
and serve him with a perfect heart, and 
with a willing mind : for the Lord search- 
eth all hearts, and understandeth all the 
imaginations of the thoughts : if thou 
seek him, he will be found of thee ; but 
if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off 
forever." They are the words of a 
dying father, given in the most impressive 
and solemn manner. Where is the child 
who will not listen to them with attention 
and seriousness? I have adopted them 



David's dying advice to his son. 55 

as the most suitable advice that could be 
given you at this time. I shall therefore 
make a few plain remarks, and tell you a 
few plain things. I will not keep you 
long, therefore I hope you will not go to 
sleep. 

In the first place, I remark, what a good 
thing it is to have religious parents. It 
was of the greatest importance to Solo- 
mon that he had such a father as David, 
for he was called The man after God's own 
heart. The pious example he had seen, 
and the good instructions he had received 
from the lips of his father, led him to the 
knowledge of the true and living God. 

Solomon received a crown and a king- 
dom from the hands of his earthly parent : 
but they are not worthy to be compared 
with the unfading crown and the ever- 
lasting kingdom which good children will 
receive from the hands of their heavenly 
Father at the last day. 

Some of you are blessed with pious 
parents, who fear God. You enjoy ad- 
vantages far above others. Listen to their 



56 David's dying advice to his son. 

instructionsj and follow their good exam- 
ple. Seek to know the true God and to 
be acquainted with the only Saviour, and 
then you will be secure and blessed 
indeed. 

There Avas a little boy who had a very 
pious and good mother, but his father 
was a very wicked man. The good 
instructions and frequent prayers of his 
mother were so blessed to the soul of 
little John, that he was converted to God, 
while very young. Little John had a re- 
markable gift in prayer, so that his mother 
allowed him to pray in the family. His 
father overheard him Avhile he was en- 
gaged in this duty. He was struck with 
remorse and shame. He heard a little 
boy, his own child, not more than twelve 
years old, lead that important exercise 
in his house, which he himself had neg- 
lected. This was followed by a deep 
conviction of his lost and miserable state, 
so that, under the blessing of God, it was 
the means of the salvation of his soul. 

See here, my dear children, how im- 



David's dying advice to his son. 57 

portant it is to know God, and to seek him 
with a perfect heart and a willing mind. 
You may save the souls of your parents ; 
you may do good to your companions and 
school-fellows, while other children are 
losing all their time in trifles and play. 

2d. I will tell you what you ought lo 
know. What did David say to Solomon ? 
"Know thou the God of thy father." 
Till you know God you know nothing. 
Till you know God you have no religion. 
This is true religion, to know God in his 
real character, and the way of salvation 
through Jesus Christ. Till you know 
this you cannot be happy. Know thou 
the God of thy father. Know him as a 
spiritual God ; for God is a Spirit, and 
those who worship him must worship 
him in spirit and in truth. Know him as 
the eternal God, the same yesterday, to- 
day and forever. Know him as the un- 
changeable God, for with him there is no 
variableness, neither shadow of turning. 
Know him as a powerful God, able to do 
all things. He is great in power and as 



58 David's dying advice to his son. 

able to punish you for sin as he was to 
punish the children of Sodom and Go- 
morrah, upon whom he rained fire and 
brimstone. Know him as a God that 
beholds you at all times, that knows all 
you do and hears all you say. 

" There's not a sin that we commit, 
Nor wicked word we say, 
But in God's awful book 'tis writ. 
Against the judgment day." 

Know him as a wise God. He knows 
better what is good for you than you do 
yourself. Know him as a just and holy 
God, in whose sight the wicked shall not 
stand, who liateth every sinner, and who 
is angry with wicked children every day. 
Know him as a true and faithful God, 
faithful to his promises and true to his 
threatenings. God cannot lie. Know 
him as a good, gracious and merciful 
God. He supplies all your wants ; he is 
gracious and merciful in sending his Son 
Jesus to die for you. 

Christ, the Son of God, came down 
from heaven to save you from your sins 



David's dying advice to his son. 59 

and from God's anger. His goodness is 
infinite. God is good to all. He de- 
lighteth in mercy; his mercy endureth 
forever. "Like as a father pitieth his 
children, so the Lord pitieth them that 
fear him." Know him as a God of love 
and compassion. Know him as your 
Creator. It was God that formed your 
curious and wonderful bodies. David 
says, that you are fearfully and wonder- 
fully made. It was God that made your 
hands to do his will, to be lifted up to 
liim in prayer. It was God that made 
your feet to run in the way of his com- 
mands, that they might bring you to the 
house of God. It was God that made 
you a tongue to pray to him and to praise 
him. It was God that gave you an ear 
to hear his word, and eyes to see all the 
works that he has made. The sun and 
the moon were made by God. The sky 
and the stars are the works of his hands. 
The sea is his, for he made it, and his 
hands formed the dry land. It is God 
that hath made us, and not we ourselves. 



60 David's dying advice to his son. 

" In heaven he shines with beams of love, 
With wrath in hell beneath ; 
'Tis on his earth you stand or move, 
And 'tis his air you breathe. 

" His hand is your perpetual guard. 
He keeps you with his eye ; 
"Why should you then forget the Lord, 
Who is forever nigh?" 

Know God as your Preserver. Know 
him as your Redeemer; Jesus, the Saviour 
of sinners ; Jesus, the Friend of little 
children ; Jesus, the Shepherd of Israel ; 
Jesus, the Lamb of God ; Jesus, the 
Mighty God ; Jesus, the Prince of Peace ; 
Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who came 
down from heaven to redeem your pre- 
cious souls. God so loved the Avorld, 
(that is, the people that were in it,) that 
he sent his only begotten Son, that who- 
soever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life. 

But, my dear young friends, do you 
know God as the God of your fathers, or 
as the God of your parents ? If so, then 
the parents and the children may both 
kneel at one throne of grace. Is there 



David's dying advice to his son. 61 

not pleasure in the thought that you know 
and love your father's God ? The God 
who has preserved them and watched 
over them for good, will do the same for 
you. 

Hear what your parents say : My child, 
know thou the God of thy father. He 
has been my God, and he will be yours. 
He has been my best Friend, and he will 
be yours also. He has been my Father, 
and he will be yours also. When we are 
taken away by death, then the Lord will 
take care of you. That God, who par- 
doneth the sins of parents, is able and 
willing to pardon the sins of the children. 

But there are some children who know 
not the God of their fathers, because they 
have no other God but the God of this 
world, the prince of the power of the air. 
There are some children who are entirely 
ignorant of their fathers' God. They 
have followed after strange gods. All 
the good instructions they have received 
and the good examples they have beheld, 
have been in vain to them. Happy the 

6 



62 David's dying advice to his son. 

parent and thrice happy the children who 
serve the same God. Let the children 
praise him ; let them sing for joy ; for 
Jehovah is the God of their fathers, and 
therefore they will exalt him. 

Those children are the wisest that know 
most of God, but those children are the 
best and wisest of all that know him as 
the God of their fathers. 

" My son, know thou the Lord, 
Thy father's God obey ; 
Seek his protecting care by night, 
His guiding hand by day." 

3dly. But it is time to direct you how 
to serve the God of your fathers : and the 
text says, it is to be " with a perfect heart 
and willing mind." Two things are ne- 
cessary; first, sincerity of heart; secondly, 
willingness or cheerfulness of mind. 

1st. Serve him with a sincere or perfect 
heart. Seek, my dear children, that the 
Spirit of God may assist you when you 
worship him. Remember, it is the heart 
that God beholds ; it is the heart that he 
requires. Surely you would not wish to 



David's dying advice to his son. 63 

be called hypocrites; therefore, let your 
hearts be engaged. Hypocrites endeavour 
to deceive themselves as well as others. 
They endeavour to mock God, by appear- 
ing to serve him in sincerity and truth. 
But they do not, and God knows it. 

" Their lifted eyes salute the skies, 
Their bended knees the ground ; 
But God abhors the sacrifice 
Where not the heart is found." 

When you serve God, if the heart is not 
engaged, then you only mock God. Let 
not your heart deceive you. You may 
deceive yourselves, but you cannot deceive 
God. To serve God with a perfect heart, 
is to serve him sincerely, and not to think 
on your sports, or play, or on trifles, but 
to think on God alone. Remember you 
are in his presence, and are speaking to a 
great and holy God. All the follies of 
childhood and the vanities of youth must 
be banished from your minds. This is 
the way to serve God with acceptance 
through Christ. Many profess to worship 
God, while their hearts are thinking on 



64 David's dying advice to his son. 

other things. Remember, if you do this, 
you do not serve God with a perfect 
heart; for you do not serve him at all. 

2dly. But you must serve God with a 
willing mind. God loveth the cheerful 
giver, and cheerful servants, however 
young they are. Many children, when 
they are in the house of God, would 
rather be at play. But I am glad that 
God hath brought so many of you here 
at this time. Whosoever is of a willing 
heart, says Moses, let him bring it, an 
offering unto the Lord. Many children 
would gladly retire to rest at night, and I 
fear many do, without praying to God. 
If so, this is not serving God with a per- 
fect heart and willing mind. Satan has 
your heart still in his possession. You 
have not given it to God. But God, 
when he comes at the last day, will make 
a difference between those children who 
serve him with willingness and sincerity 
and those who are deceitful and unwilling. 

In the third place, I will tell you the 
reason why you should serve God with a 



David's dying advice to his son. 65 

perfect heart and willing mind; for "the 
Lord searcheth all hearts, and understand- 
eth the imaginations of the thoughts." 
This is the reason which David gives to 
Solomon, and I cannot give a better one 
to you, my dear children. All things are 
known to God, past, present and to come. 
Your state and condition in life, your 
temper and disposition of mind, your 
whole conduct is all well known to God ; 
you cannot hide any thing you think, say, 
or do, from God. 

" Your thoughts, before they are your own, 
Are to your God distinctly known; 
He knows the words you mean to speak, 
Ere from your opening lips they break. 

" Within his circling power you stand; 
On every side you find his hand : 
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, 
You are surrounded still with God." 

David knew this, therefore he reminded 
Solomon of it. Think thus, my dear 
children, when you serve God: "Now 
God sees me ! he knows what I am doing, 
what I am thinking, and what I am 

6* 



66 David's dying advice to his son. 

going to say to him !" Thus you will be 
better prepared to serve him in the right 
manner, with a perfect heart and a willing 
mind. 

4th. I will now tell you what advan- 
tages you will obtain by seeking God in 
early life. " If thou seek him, he will be 
found of thee.'^ When you are in distress 
or exposed to danger, you will find a 
Friend that can support and deliver you. 
Seek the Lord as the friend of your souls, 
call upon him, and he will hear you in the 
day of trouble. Seek him, and he will 
teach you by his Holy Spirit. He will 
save you from every evil. How happy 
are those who have God on their side ! 
They have nothing to fear, for if God be 
for you, who can be against you ? 

Seek the Lord in the morning of life, 
and it will be attended with numerous 
advantages to yourselves and to others. 
It is the best time to seek God ; the sooner 
you seek him on earth, the greater will 
be your glory in heaven. It is a great 
pity to serve Satan in yoiu- best days, and 



David's dying advice to his son. 67 

God with the worst; to spend the best of 
your time in seeking happiness where it 
is not to be found, while true happiness 
and the joys of heaven are neglected 
and despised. How bright is your morn- 
ing sun ; how full of vigour and bloom 
are your countenances ; how warm your 
hearts ; how active you are ! These are 
your best days, your spirits are lively, 
your minds tender. Now is the time for 
learning and for acting ; the beauties of 
holiness will shine with double lustre ; 
others will imitate your example. Your 
morning sun may go down at noon. 
While it is yet day, the rose may fade on 
your cheeks, and the hour of death may 
come before you are prepared. How 
happy will it be to have God for your 
God, Christ for your Saviour, and heaven 
for your home. 

" Why should you say 'tis yet too soon 
To seek for heaven or think of death 1 
A flower may fade before 'tis noon, 

And you this day may lose your breath." 

It is not only the best time, but it is the 



68 david's dying advice to his son. 

surest and safest time to seek the Lord 
now. Life is uncertain. You cannot 
call to-morrow your own. Like flowers, 
you flourish in the garden of life, in the 
morning ; but before your sun arrives at 
its meridian, or before it sets in the evening 
of old age, death may come ; the flowers 
may wither and die; sickness and pain 
may be your lot. Happy will you be if 
you seek the Lord, for then you will only 
be taken from his garden below, to be 
transplanted into his garden above, where 
you shall flourish in immortal youth. 
Now is the time to enjoy the pleasures of 
religion. The remembrance of the sins 
of youth is painful in the extreme. Many, 
when they grow up to years of maturity, 
have to lament that they have laid a foun- 
dation in youth for bitter repentance, and 
go down with sorrow and gray hairs to 
the grave. If you seek the Lord in the 
morning of life, it will increase your hap- 
piness in this world and in the world to 
come. Every right step you take leads 
you farther into the ways of pleasantness 



David's dying advice to his son. 69 

and paths of peace. The path of religion 
is not only pleasantness now, but it leads 
to the paradise of God. It will produce 
happiness sweeter than life, and happiness 
which will outlive death itself. If you 
seek God now, it will prevent many evils 
and preserve you from many temptations. 

" 'Tis easier work, if you begin 
To fear the Lord betimes. 
While sinners who grow old in sin 
Are hardened in their crimes. 

" 'Twill save you from a thousand snares, 
To mind religion young; 
Grace will preserve your following years, 
And make your virtues strong." 

Now is the time to set a good example 
to your young companions. Joseph, 
David, Timothy, Abijah, Josiah, Samuel 
and Obadiah have all set a good example 
for you to follow. Now, therefore, let 
your parents have the unspeakable plea- 
sure of beholding, in your tender years, 
the signs of real piety, of love to God. 
Let them see that you are resolved to set 
a good example to others. Now is just 



70 David's dying advice to his son. 

the time to do good : seek God, and you 
will find him to be a father, a friend, a 
guide, and a protector. It will be far 
more pleasing to him, and it will be more 
for his glory, if you devote your youth to 
God and to Christ. Religion will abide 
with you while young, grow up with 
your riper years, and be your companion 
in the closing scenes of life. For godli- 
ness is profitable to all things, having the 
promise of the life that now is, and of 
that which is to come. But it is time for 
me to conclude. 

Therefore let me give yon, in the last 
place, this warning. It may be the last 
you will hear : " Bnt if thou forsake him, 
he will cast thee off forever." To be 
turned out of the family of God ! To be 
given up, by him, to your father, the devil ! 
To be shut out from heaven ! To be 
cast off from God, whose favour is life, 
and whose loving-kindness is better than 
life itself! How awful ! Your immortal 
souls will live forever; they can never 
die, but they will be cast down to hell. 



David's dying advice to his son. 71 

If you forsake God, they will be con- 
demned to spend an eternity in everlasting 
flames. Will you forsake the guide of 
your youth, and wander on in sin to ever- 
lasting misery ? The thought is too pain- 
ful. I cannot give you up. Rather let 
me weep over your careless and sinful 
conduct. that mine head were waters, 
and mine eyes fountains of tears, that I 
might weep day and night over your pre- 
cious souls. Think of your misery. Who 
will be your friend, if God is not ? Who 
will be your Saviour, if Christ is not? 
Who will change your heart, if the Spirit 
of God does not ? Where will you go, if 
you do not go to heaven ? I tremble for 
you. 1 pity you. Many of you, I fear, 
will be still careless, and run on in the 
downward road to everlasting misery, 
which I pray God to prevent for Christ's 
sake. Amen. 

" Call while he may be found, 
And seek him while he's near ; 
Serve him with all thy heart and mind, 
And worship him with fear. 



72 DAVID S DYING ADVICE TO HIS SON. 

" If thou wilt seek his face, 
His ear will hear thy cry ; 
Then shalt thou find his mercy sure, 
His grace forever nigh. 

" But if thou leave thy God, 

Nor choose the path to heaven, 
Then shalt thou perish in thy sins, 
And never be forgiven." 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 73 



LECTURE IV. 

Mvantages of an early Love to Jesus. 

1 John ii. 28. — ^^A7id now, little children, abide in 
him, {Christ,) that when he shall appear, we may 
have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at 
his coming.''^ 

My DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, 

If you wish to be happy in this world 
and happy in that which is to come, you 
must fear God and love Christ while you 
are young. 

*' You can't too early serve the Lord, 
Nor love his name too dear, 
Nor prize too much his precious word, 
Nor learn too soon his fear." 

Permit me, my dear young friends, to 
ask you a few questions. 

Thomas, what did vou come for ? 
"To hear the sermon, sir." 
And what did you come for, William ? 

7 



74 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

" Because my parents told me to come, 
sir." 

And what did you come for, John ? 

" Because I love to hear of Christ." 

And what did you come for, Benjamin? 

" Because all the rest of the children 
came, and I did not like to stay behind by 
myself." 

Well, Ann, how happened you to come? 

" Because I wish to hear the word of 
God." 

And, Rebecca, what was the reason you 
came ? I heard that you were not so 
good as you should be. 

"Why, I am sorry I have been so 
wicked, and hope I shall be a better girl 
for the time to come." 

Well, Eliza, how was it that you came? 

"Because I like to hear you talk of 
Jesus Christ." 

Mary, I am glad to see you; tell me 
the reason of your coming here this 
evening. 

" I came to follow the example of my 
namesake." 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 75 

Who is your namesake ? 

" She is spoken of in the tenth chapter 
of Luke and thirty-ninth verse." 

What is said of her in that verse ? 

" That * she sat at the feet of Jesus and 
heard his words.' " 

What did Christ say of her ? 

" He said, ' Mary has chosen that good 
part which shall never be taken away 
from her.' " 

Well, my dear child, you are come to 
the house of God for a good purpose. I 
wish all the rest of the children would 
follow your example, and may the choice 
of Mary be their choice. 

'* Father divine, diffuse thy light, 
And guide my doubtful footsteps right, 
Engage this frail, this wavering heart, 
To fix on Mary's better part." 

Have any of you read Bunyan's Pil- 
grim's Progress ? 

" Yes, sir, I have." 

Can you tell me the names of those four 
little boys, who went on a pilgrimage with 
their mother? 



76 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

" Yes, sir ; James, Joseph, Samuel and 
Matthew.'' 

Now, as they went on their way, they 
came to a certain great house ; can you tell 
me the name of that house ? 

" The Interpreter's house." 

No ; it was after they had been there ; 
and it stood on the top of a hill called 
Difficulty. 

" yes, the name of it was Beautiful." 

Very right, that is the same I mean. 
Now, at this house they said their catechism 
to a young lady ; what was her name ? 

" I think it was Prudence, sir." 

Yes, it was, and she began with the 
youngest, whose name was James. Come, 
James, said she, can you tell me who 
made you ? 

" God the Father, God the Son and 
God the Holy Ghost." 

Good boy, can you tell who saved you? 

" God the Father, God the Son and 
God the Holy Spirit." 

Good boy still. How does God the 
Father save you ? 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 77 

" By his grace." 

How does God the Son save you ? 

" By his Ufe and obedience to the law 
of God, and by his sufferings and death 
upon the cross.^' 

How does God the Spirit save you ? 

" By convincing me of the evil of sin, 
by renewing my heart, and by guiding 
and preserving me in the ways of God." 

She then called Joseph : and said, Let 
me catechise you, Joseph. 

"With all my heart," said the child. 

What is man ? 

" A reasonable creature, (created with 
a body and a soul.") 

What is meant by the word saved, or 
salvation .'' 

" It means a deliverance from every 
evil, and possession of every good." 

What is God's design in saving man ? 

"To glorify his name, to display hif:* 
grace and honour his perfections." 

What are the perfections of God ? 

" His truth, justice, holiness, goodness, 
patience, power, mercy and love." 



78 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY, 

Good boy, Joseph, says Prudence, thy 
mother has taught thee well. 

Come, Samuel, are you willing to be 
catechised ? 

" Yes, if you please.'^ 

What is heaven? 

"A blessed place, because God lives 
there." 

What is hell ? 

" A place of misery, because it is the 
dwelling-place of sin, of Satan and his 
angels." 

Why should you like to go to heaven ? 

" That I may see God, and serve him 
without weariness ; that I may see Christ, 
and dwell with him in love forever ; that 
I may have the fulness of the Holy 
Spirit in me, which I cannot here enjoy." 

A very good boy, indeed. 

She then called Matthew, the oldest, 
and said. Are you willing to be catechised? 

" With a very good will." 

Was there any thing before God ? 

" No, for God is eternal, without begin- 
ning of days or end of years." 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 79 

What do you think of the Bible ? 

" I think it is the word of God." 

Is there any thing in it which you do 
not understand ? 

" Yes, a great many things." 

What do you do with what you cannot 
understand in it ? 

" I think that God is wiser than I am, 
and I pray that he would be pleased to 
let me know every thing that is for my 
good." 

Do you believe in the resurrection of 
the dead ? 

"I believe it, because I read in the 
Bible that the trumpet shall sound and the 
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and 
that we shall all be changed in a moment, 
in the twinkUng of an eye, at the last 
trump." 

My dear children, you have heard how 
well these young pilgrims have said their 
catechism. Can you say yours as well ? 
If not, 1 hope you will try to imitate 
them. But it is time for me to explain 
the words of my text. 



80 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

I. Who were the words of the text 
spoken to ? 

"Little children." 

And now, Uttle children, the evangelist 
John was an old man, and often makes 
use of the word children to men and wo- 
men. It is related of him, that when he 
was grown old and not able to stand to 
preach to them, and not being able to say 
much, he was carried in a chair to the 
church, and said to all, men, women and 
children, "Little children, love one ano- 
ther." Whether these words were spoken 
particularly to men and women, or to those 
who were but children, or babes in Christ, 
I cannot determine. I hope, however, I 
shall meet with indulgence from the liberal 
and candid mind, as to the manner in 
which I have accommodated them. There- 
fore, as the words little children are found 
in the text, they may mean persons young 
in knowledge and grace, or young in 
years. The last of these meanings I have 
chosen as most adapted to the subject and 
persons before me. 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 81 

As these words are now addressed to 
you, my dear children, I hope you will 
attend to them. There are two different 
kinds of children here, as well as in the 
world ; good and bad. God is the Father 
of the good, and he loves them. Satan 
is the father of the Avicked children, and 
they do as he bids them. " He that com- 
mitteth sin is of the devil ; for the devil 
sinneth from the beginning. Ye are of 
your father the devil, and his lusts or sins 
ye will do." Those children who tell 
lies may be called Satan's children; for 
John saith, when he (that is, Satan) speak- 
eth a lie, he speaketh of his own ; for he 
is a liar and the father of lies. But we 
are not all children. Some are fourteen 
years old, and others are fifteen and six- 
teen, &c. 

But surely you are not too proud to be 
called a child. What did Christ say to 
those who were twenty or thirty, perhaps 
forty, years old ? " Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, whosoever shall not receive the 
kingdom of heaven as a little child, he 



82 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

shall ill no wise enter therein." You 
must be teachable and humble, like child- 
ren. You must sit down at the feet of 
Jesus, and, like Mary, learn of him to be 
meek and lowly in heart, and " ye shall 
find rest to your souls." 

II. And now, little children, I will 
niform you who you are to abide in ; that 
is, who you are to continue to love. 
Can any of you tell me what Paul says.^ 
" Yes, sir, he says, ^ If any man be in 
Christ, he is a new creature, old things 
are passed away, behold all things are 
become new.' " 

There are a great many children here. 
Your faces are all new to me, and there 
may be some here with new clothes. 
But I fear there are not many cliildren 
who have new hearts. 
"O,sir,you cannot tell howgood we are." 
I know not your hearts, my dear child- 
ren, and can only judge by your outward 
conduct; but God, who knows the heart, 
can tell better than I can. Are your ac- 
tions better than they were ? Have you 



ADVANTAGES OP EARLY PIETY. 83 

left off to do evil, and forsaken your old 
sinful ways? If not, then you are not 
walking in Christ Jesus; for he is the 
new and living way. How can your 
actions please God if your hearts are 
wicked ? Depart from evil and do good. 
All things must become new. If you wish 
to live in Christ Jesus, or according to his 
word, your heiarts must be new, and then 
your actions will be new, your companions 
will be new, your joys will be new, your 
pleasures will be new, you will have new 
thoughts, and they will produce new words ; 
you will have new employments, you will 
make new resolutions. Before, you only 
wished to go to heaven ; now, you have 
good reason to hope that you shall go 
there ; therefore it is, that you have new 
expectations ; and if you have all these 
new things, you will be new creatures 
indeed ; you shall dwell at last with God 
and Christ forever, in the new Jerusalem, 
in heaven, where all things will be new 
to you all. Remember, your hearts must 
be entirely changed by divine grace : 



84 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

God says, Give me thy heart, thine whole 
heart. God will not bestow half a new 
heart. He will not be satisfied with half 
your love. Christ is not a half Saviour. 
Hear what Jesus says to you, my dear 
children : 

" Christ. Give me thy heart; I'll not delay 

To make it clean; then, child, obey. 
Child. Here, Lord, then take a part, the best, 

And tarry till I mend the rest. 
Christ. Give me thine heart; I'll have it all, 

A part's a gift by far too small. 
Child. Forbear, O Lord, and longer stay, 

Excuse me till a future day. 
Christ. Give me your hearts ; now, children, say, ' 

"What! will you all send Christ away? 
Child. No, Lord, thy Spirit's power impart. 

Help us to give thee all our heart; 

Had we ten thousand hearts our own. 

We would unite them all in one ; 

And in one offering freely send 

Them up to thee, our dearest Friend." 

III. I will tell you in what manner you 
are to abide in Christ. In the first place, 
you must be taught your need of Christ, 
and that if he does not save you from the 
wrath of God, there is no other that can, 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 85 

either in heaven or on earth. You have 
heard that it is the Holy Spirit alone that 
can change the heart; and it is that 
Spirit for which you must pray to God. 
It is the Spirit alone that can teach you. 
"What will the Spirit teach me, sir ?" 
He will not only teach you your need 
of a Saviour, but he will teach you that 
you are a sinner. 

" I know that I am a sinner." 
So you do, perhaps ; but it is one thing 
to say that you are a sinner, and another 
thing to know that you really are one. 
The Spirit will teach you the evil of sin. 
One leak will sink a ship, and one sin 
will sink your soul to the pit of destruc- 
tion. The Spirit will teach you the 
necessity of a new heart, and the advan- 
tage of real and early piety; that you 
must love God and Christ, and that you 
must pray to God for the forgiveness of 
your sins for Christ's sake, and pray that 
the Holy Spirit may be your teacher. 

" Imprint thine image on my breast, 
Thy Holy Spirit give, 
8 



86 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

A mind, with true repentance blest, 
That I may turn and live." 

2. You must believe that Christ is able 
and willing to save you. To believe is 
to think that all the Scriptures say con- 
cerning him is really true. It is called 
faith, in the last line of the following 
verse : 

"Believe in Christ, no more pursue 
The path that leads to death ; 
This Jesus bled and died for you. 
Look, and be saved by faith. 

" His sons and daughters you shall be, 
Through his atoning blood ; 
For you may seek and find in him 
A Saviour and a God." 

Do you think that Christ is able to save 
you? 

" Yes, sir ; the Bible says that * we shall 
be saved from wrath through him.' '' 

Do you not think that he is as willing, 
as he is able, to save you ? 

"Yes, Christ himself hath said, * Him 
that Cometh unto me, I will in no wise 
cast out.' " 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 87 

3. You mast obey all the commands 
of Christ. Can any of you tell me what 
Christ said to his disciples ? 

" Yes, sir ; ' If you love me, keep my 
commandments.' '' 

Attend to me, and I will tell you what 
the commands of Christ are : Love one 
another. Search the Scriptures, or in 
other words, read your Bibles, and pray 
in secret to him who seeth in secret, that 
is, God. Do unto others as you wish 
them to do unto you. Do not swear, 
nor speak evil of any one. Love your 
brothers and sisters, and forgive them 
even till seventy times seven. Love your 
enemies, and pray for them that hate you. 
Love God, and believe in Christ. Obey 
your parents, honour your superiors, 
respect the aged. Call not your brother 
fool ; for those who call ill names are in 
danger of hell-fire. Indulge not sinful 
thoughts. Lay up treasure in heaven, 
for where your treasure is there will your 
heart be also. Judge not hastily of any 
one's conduct, before you have examined 



88 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

the matter for yourselves. Do not find 
fault with others, when you do the same 
things yourselves. 

Yes, my dear young friends, you are to 
keep these commands, and to do them, 
for in so doing, you shall not perish, but 
have everlasting life. 

" Why should you shrink at his command 
Whose love forbids your fears, 
Or tremble at that gracious hand 
Which wipes away your tears'?" 

IV. What you will gain by living a life 
of love to Christ, and obedience to his 
commands. But let me first see what you 
would like to have, because all children 
do not love the same thing. 
What do you want, little boy } 
"I should like to be wise, sir." 
Well, really I did not expect to find a 
little Solomon here. 

Did you ever read Solomon's prayer ? 
" No, sir ; what did he pray for ?" 
He said to the Lord, Give me now wis- 
dom and knowledge, that I may go in and 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 89 

come out before this people. He was king 
over Israel. 

" Did the Lord give him what he asked 
for ?" 

Yes, and more besides. He gave him 
riches and honour, as well as wisdom and 
knowledge. 

"Where can I find Solomon's prayer?" 

In the second book of Chronicles i. 7. 
They only are wise who are wise unto 
salvation. 

" One thing I ask ; Lord, wilt thou hear, 
And grant a youth a gift so dear 1 
Wisdom descendins from above, 
The choicest token of thy love. 

"Wisdom betimes to know the Lord, 
To fear his name, to keep his word ; 
To lead my feet in paths of truth. 
And guide and guard my wandering youth." 

Do you want any thing else, my dear 
boy? 

" Yes, sir ; I want to be happy." 

Well, my dear child, remember that the 

way to be happy is to be good ; and the 

way to be good is to be wise ; and the 

beginning of wisdom is the fear of the 

8* 



90 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

Lord ; and the fear of the Lord is the way 
to heaven. Good children are happy in 
life and in death ; and happy forever, after 
death, in heaven. Wicked children are 
never happy, neither in this world nor in 
that which is to come. 

A poor little boy who was bound ap- 
prentice to a chimney sweeper, as he could 
not go to school on week-days, attended a 
Sunday-school for instruction, and there 
is every reason to believe that what 
was taught at that school made a great 
impression on his mind. A little while 
afterwards he was sent to sweep a chimney, 
and while in it, he was heard to sing, 

"The sorrows of the mind 

Be banished from this place ; 
Religion never was designed 
To make our pleasures less." 

Think of this, my dear children. The 
poor little chimney sweeper could bid 
sorrow depart, and though he was sur- 
rounded with darkness and soot, yet he 
was happy, and could sing of the plea- 
sures of religion. What a proof this is 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 91 

of what Solomon says ! Can any little boy 
tell me what it is? 

"Yes, sir; ' Her ways are ways of plea- 
santness, and all her paths are peace.' '' 

" O did the young around but know 
How great their pleasures are, 
They would each golden joy forego, 
Such matchless bliss to share." 

Well, now I will ask that dear little 
girl who has been so attentive to what I 
have said; what do you wish for, little 
girl ? 

" I should like to go to heaven when I 
die, sir." 

So you shall, if you live a life of early 
love and obedience to Christ. 

" But cannot I do any thing to obtain 
the favour of God ?" 

No. 

" Why ?" 

Because all your duties are mixed with 
sin. 

" Tf I be very good indeed, will not God 
love me for that ?'' 

Not unless you love Christ and trust 



92 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

him to save your soul. You cannot, do 
any thing without God. All your good 
thoughts come from God first, so that if 
you are very good, it was God that first 
made you so; because you were born a 
sinner. 

"But cannot I go to heaven without 
Christ ?" 

No, that I am sure you cannot. 

" But could not I buy heaven if I had 
plenty of money?" 

No, not if you were as rich as a Jew. 

A certain nobleman in Ireland took a 
particular pleasure in showing a good 
minister his house, his garden and lands ; 
and among other things he showed him a 
fine church which he had built. 

"Now, sir," said the nobleman, "don't 
you think that will merit heaven ?" 

The minister paused a moment and said, 
" Pray, sir, how much may your whole 
estate be worth a year?" 

"I think," said the nobleman, "about 
fourteen or fifteen thousand pounds, or 
about sixty thousand dollars." 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 93 

" And do you think, sir, God would sell 
heaven for fourteen or fifteen thousand 
pounds, or sixty thousand dollars ?" 

But there is one great advantage spoken 
of in the text, which I must now consi- 
der ; that is, when he shall appear, you 
shall have confidence and not be ashamed 
before him at his coming. When Christ 
shall come to judge the world at the last 
day, then those good children who have 
trusted in Christ and his righteousness, 
and lived a life of love and obedience to 
God, shall not be in the least afraid. 

Now let us suppose that the day is already 
come. The trumpet sounds. The dead 
arise. The rocks and mountains are all 
fled away. The world is on fire, and the 
heavens in flames. Christ the judge ap- 
pears, with his holy angels, in flaming fire ; 
and the dead, small and great, are brought 
before his bar, to receive their last sen- 
tence. 

" That awful day will surely come, 
The appointed hour makes haste, 
When we must stand before the Judge, 
And pass the solemn test." 



94 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

Perhaps there may be two of your 
school-fellows standing close by you; and 
for the sake of distinction, I shall call 
them James and Charles : 

" Well, Charles,'^ says James, " what do 
you think of Christ now ?" 

"Think of him ?" says Charles ; " I can- 
not bear to think of him. Once he would 
have been my Saviour, but I did not love 
him or obey any of his commands, and 
now I behold him as my Judge. James, 
let me get behind you, till I can hide my- 
self among the crowd yonder." 

" Ah, Charles, the Judge will see you 
wherever you are." 

" James, James, what shall I do ? 
Where shall I go ? Where can I hide ?" 

'* Charles, it is in vain for you to think 
of hiding yourself. You cannot escape." 

" But, James, why are you not afraid ?" 

"Because I love Christ. I trusted in him 
when I was on earth. He is my Saviour. 
I shall now be with him in eternal glory. 
Why do you tremble so, Charles?" 

"Because I am afraid of the face of 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 95 

Him that sits upon that throne. I am 
ashamed to see my Judge, and endless 
misery will be my portion." 

" How will you bear that dreadful day, 
And stand the fiery test ! 
Give all your sinful joys away, 
And be forever blest." 

There are two little girls talking with 
each other; let us hear what they say. 

'' Maria, Maria, why do you hang down 
your head? what are you ashamed of?" 

" Sarah, I shall soon be called before 
the Judge, to give an account of my bad 
conduct while I was on earth ; I have 
been very careless and wicked." 

" Ah, Maria, I often told you what 
would be the consequence of your break- 
ing the Sabbath and disobeying your pa- 
rents. You would not hearken to me, but 
was angry with me, because I told you 
of your faults and gave you good advice. 
You only laughed at what I said about 
religion." 

" Sarah, I wish I had taken your ad- 
vice and followed your good example. I 



96 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

wish I had read my Bible and prayed to 
God, and then I should now have been as 
happy as you. But now what shall I do ?" 

" Maria, it is now too late to seek a 
Saviour, to ask for pardon, or to hope to 
find a friend in that Judge whom you 
have despised." 

" Sarah, I am without a Friend ! 
without a Saviour ! without a heaven ! 
and without a crown ! I wish I could go 
with you to the right hand of the Judge." 

" I wish you could, Maria, but that is 
now impossible ! We shall soon be sepa- 
rated forever." 

" Think ! Sarah, only think ! There 
my misery will never have an end ! Good 
bye, Sarah, farewell ! I shall never see 
you any more." 

my dear, dear children, how many 
of you, at the last day, will be the com- 
panions of Charles and Maria, and be 
found among those who are at the left 
hand of the Judge ? Many of you, my 
dear children, I fear, will be as much 
ashamed and afraid as Charles and 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 97 

Maria. Some will be ashamed because 
they have told so many stories. Some will 
be ashamed because they have behaved 
so unkindly to their parents and brothers 
and sisters. Others will be ashamed of 
their disobedience to their parents and 
teachers. Some will tremble and hang 
down their heads with shame, because they 
have been guilty of cursing and swearing, 
and have often taken the name of God in 
vain. Others will be ashamed to see 
Christ because they did not love him, but 
despised him who offered to save their 
souls. Ah, my dear children, there are 
many more wicked things which you have 
done that you will be ashamed of at that 
day, when Christ shall come to judge the 
world in righteousness. 

" And must the crimes which we have done 
Be read and published there 1 
Be all exposed before the sun, 
While men and angels hear ?" 

But the text begins with these two 
words, "And now.'' The meaning of 
these words is, that you must begin to love 

9 



98 ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 

Christ and obey his commands now ; that 
you ought to " remember your Creator in 
the days of your youth." Let it be said, 
that from the day you heard or read this 
lecture, you began to seek the Lord ; to 
pray for pardon, and to ask for grace. 
" Well, I think I shall begin to-morrow." 
To-morrow, did you say ? To-morrow 
is not yours ; be wise, consider your latter 
end. You may die to-night ; To-day if 
you will hear the voice of God, harden 
not your hearts, lest he swear in his wrath 
that you shall never enter into his rest. 

*' Then why should you so long delay 
What others learned so soon ? 
O do not pass another day, 
Without this work begun." 

You cannot tell what a day or an hour 
may bring forth. There may be but a 
step between you and death. 

*' 'Tis dangerous to provoke a God 

Whose power and vengeance none can tell ; 
One stroke of his almighty rod 
Can send the sinner quick to hell." 

" And now, little children, abide in him, 



ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY. 99 

that when he shall appear you may have 
confidence and not be ashamed at his 
coming." 

" Young as I am, with pilgrim feet, 
Father, I travel to thy seat ; 
And, leaning on my Saviour's hand, 
Prepare to leave this barren land. 

*' My cradle was beset with fears, 
My infant eyes o'erflowed with tears ; 
Ere I could good or evil know. 
My little heart was filled with wo. 

" Diseases threatened to destroy 
All the young buds of rising joy : 
And thus in early life began 
The cares and sorrows of the man. 

*' Oft sickness shades a mother's eyes, 
And many a friend around me dies ; 
And oft I feel oppressed with care, 
A stranger, as my fathers were. 

" While o'er this desert world I roam, 
Teach me to seek a better home, 
Unstained by wo, unchanged by years, 
Unlike this gloomy vale of tears.' 



»» 



THE child's best FRIEND. 101 



LECTURE V. 

The Character of the Child's best Friend. 

Prov. xviii. 24. — " There is a Friend that sticketh 
closer than a brother. ^^ 

My very dear young friends, 

Never have I proposed a more inte- 
resting subject to your attention. I think 
I hear some one say, Who can be a better 
friend to us than our father and mother ? 
Yes, my young friends, your brother may 
be, if you have one, and he should live after 
you are deprived of your parents. An 
elder brother might perform a double duty, 
that of a parent and that of a brother : but 
such kind and affectionate brothers are 
rarely to be found. 

The text speaks of a Friend that sticketh 
closer than a brother. It may not be 
amiss to introduce this subject with the 
outlines of a story which you have perhaps 



102 THE child's best FRIEND. 

read many times. Dionysius, the tyrant 
of Syracuse, had passed sentence of death 
upon Pythias, and the day of his execu- 
tion was fixed. The poor man begged 
but one favour from the tyrant, which 
was, that he might be permitted to visit 
his family, who were at that time a con- 
siderable distance from him, promising 
faithfully to return on a day appointed. 
This Dionysius refused, unless some per- 
son could be found who would consent 
to suffer death in his stead, if he failed to 
fulfil his promise. It so happened, that 
Damon, the friend of Pythias, heard of 
the tyrant's proposal ; and, unknown to 
Pythias, offered himself to Dionysius and 
was accepted. Pythias was therefore libe- 
rated, and Damon imprisoned. 

Various circumstances occurred to pre- 
vent the return of Pythias at the appointed 
time. The very morning of the execution 
dawned upon Syracuse, before his arrival. 
Dionysius had the curiosity to visit Damon 
in the prison, as the day of the intended 
execution drew near, that he might learn 



THE child's best FRIEND. 103 

what his views now were, of what he 
deemed the folly of his conduct. 

He found the generous man full of joy 
at the prospect of death, that he might 
thereby save a life more valuable than his 
own; hoping, at the same time, that 
unfavourable winds would prevent his 
friend's return. 

When the hour arrived, Damon was led 
forth to the place of execution, Dionysius 
the emperor being present. In a short 
speech, Damon told the surrounding multi- 
tude, that his dear friend Pythias would 
soon arrive, but he hoped not before his 
death had saved a life so valuable as that 
of Pythias was to his family, his friends 
and his country. He then begged them 
to consider, that from contrary winds 
which had blown from one point of the 
compass many days past, it was impossible 
for him to have returned. "But since 
yesterday," said he, "the wind is changed, 
and Pythias will soon be here. — Make 
haste," said he to the executioner, " and 
do your office." 



104 THE child's best FRIEND. 

At that moment a voice was heard from 
among the crowd. 

" Stop, stop the execution !" The multi- 
tude joined the cry, until it was echoed 
from all quarters. It was Pythias. He 
was mounted on a horse covered with 
foam from the rapidity with which he had 
rode. In a moment he leaped from his 
horse, and was on the scaffold. He could 
say no more but, " You are safe, you are 
safe, my friend, and I am happy." Damon, 
on the other hand, exclaimed, "0 fatal 
haste ! that hath brought you here too 



soon." 



Dionysius saw what passed, and, for the 
first time, felt the force of generous friend- 
ship. He descended from his throne, 
mounted the platform, and from a convic- 
tion not to be resisted, cried out, " Live, 
ye generous friends, both of you, and form 
my mind, by such an illustrious example 
of friendship, to imitate virtue so truly 
noble." This was a friend in need, as 
well as a friend indeed. "Greater love 



THE child's best FRIEND. 105 

hath no man than this, that a man lay 
down his Ufe for his friend." 

" On thee our lives and souls depend, 
Our Heavenly Father, Guide and Friend ; 
And we are happy, if we share 
Thy smiles, thy counsels and thy care." 

The text speaks of a greater friend than 
Damon was to Pythias. "There is a 
Friend that sticketh closer than a brother." 
I proceed, 

I. To inquire, who this Friend is ? To 
which I shall give six answers. 

1. I will tell you his name : it is Jesus 
Christ, the eternal son of God. The pro- 
phet Isaiah calls him the Mighty God — 

e Everlasting Father — the Prince of 
Peace. This name was given him by 
God his Father. Jesus signifies a Saviour. 
For the angel of the Lord appeared to 
Joseph, the reputed father of Jesus, and 
told him, that Mary, his espoused wife, 
who was then a virgin, should bring forth 
a son ; that she should call his name Jesus, 
for he shall save his people from their 
sins. Joseph was a carpenter by trade, 



106 THE child's best FRIEND. 

and Mary his wife was an humble virgin ; 
yet they both descended from David, the 
king of Israel. This, my young friends, 
is the name of your Friend. 

"Jesus, to multitudes unknown, 
O name divinely sweet! 
Jesus, in tiiee, and thee alone, 
Health, honour, pleasure meet," 

2. I will tell you the place where he 
was born : he was born at Bethlehem 
of Judea, the city of David. Bethlehem 
signifies the house of bread : he could not 
be born in a more proper place, because 
he is not only the Friend of sinners, but 
the bread which came down from heaven. 
Jesus is called the Bread of Life. The 
prophet Micah foretold, more than seven 
hundred years before it came to pass, that 
Bethlehem would be the birth-place of 
the true Messiah. This is the place where 
your Friend was born. 

" Ye humble shepherds, go, 
To David's city fly ; 
The promised infant born to-day 
Doth in a manner lie." 



THE child's best FRIEND. 107 

3. I will tell you about the time when he 
was born. The exact time when Christ was 
born is not certainly known. The evan- 
gelist Matthew tells us, that it was in the 
days of Herod the king ; and Luke says, 
it was in the reign of Caesar Augustus. 
Herod was an Edomite, and was made 
King of Judea by Caesar Augustus, who 
was then ruler of the Roman empire, 
which, on account of its great extent, was 
called the whole world. It included 
Parthia one way, and Britain another. 
It was never so extensive before or since. 
The prophet Daniel, who lived six hundred 
years before Christ was born, said that 
this was to be the time. Now the fulness 
of time was come, and that was God's 
time, and the most proper time for the 
birth of Jesus. It was at a time of univer- 
sal peace. 

"We see the prophecies fulfilled 
In Jesus, that most wondrous child ; 
His birth, his life, his death combine 
To prove his character divine." 

4. I will tell you what he did on earth. 



108 THE child's best FRIEND. 

Till he was about thirty years of age, 
he lived with his parents at Nazareth 
in Galilee. Then he entered on his 
public life, and went about doing good. 
He called his disciples, who were only 
twelve in number, and ordained them to 
preach his gospel, and they were con- 
tinually with him, and may be called his 
family. They were his scholars, and he 
taught them the mysteries of the kingdom 
of heaven. He turned water into wine. 
He hushed the tempest to a calm. The 
winds and waves obeyed him. He fed 
the hungry, healed the sick, made the 
lame to walk, opened the eyes of the blind, 
unstopped the ears of the deaf, caused the 
dumb to speak, and raised the dead to life 
again. He received all that came to him 
for relief or instruction, both rich and poor, 
old and young. He frequently spent the 
night in prayer to God, and the day in 
doing good to men. But he had many 
enemies, and they sought to take away 
his life. This is the manner in which 
your Friend spent his time on earth. 



THE child's best FRIEND. 109 



" Behold, the blind their sight receive, 
Behold, the dead awake and live ; 
The dumb speak wonders, and the lame 
Leap like the hart, and bless his name. 



ii 



5. I will tell you how he died. Jesus 
was betrayed by one of his own disciples 
into the hands of his enemies, who bound 
him and led him away. They falsely 
accused him, smote him, spit upon him, 
bufteted him, mocked him, scourged him, 
and then led him away to be crucified be- 
tween two thieves, on Calvary. They 
nailed his hands and his feet to the cross, 
and gave him vinegar mingled with gall 
for his drink. To complete the whole, 
one of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced 
his side, and there came out blood and 
water. He was crucified between ten 
and twelve o'clock in the morning, and 
died between three and four in the after- 
noon. At his death, there was darkness 
over the whole land for three hours. The 
rocks rent, the graves opened, and the 
veil of the temple was rent in twain. 
Thus Jesus died a painful and shameful 

10 



110 THE child's SEST FRIEND. 

death ; and have you no tears to shed for 
him who is your best Friend ? 

"But drops of grief can ne'er repay 
The debt of love you owe; 
To Jesus give your hearts and lives, 
'Tis all that you can do." 

Lastly. Though your Friend was dead 
and buried, yet after three days he arose 
from the grave. After he had been forty 
days on earth, he ascended to heaven in a 
cloud, in the presence of his disciples, from 
a mountain in Gahlee. Your Friend, my 
dear children, is now in heaven. But he 
will come again, and then every eye shall 
see him. At the last day, he will come 
in the clouds of heaven, in flaming fire, 
to judge the world ; to take vengeance on 
them that know not God and obey not 
his gospel. Yes, my dear young friends, 
we must all appear before the judgment- 
seat of Christ. Then will wicked children 
see him who would now save their souls, 
and hear him condemn them to eternal 
misery. Then will good children behold 



THE child's best FRIEND. Ill 

*\im as their Saviour, and their best, their 
-^.verlasting Friend. 

II. Having told you who this Friend 
is, I must describe the particular marks 
of his character. 

1. He is an affectionate and compas- 
sionate Friend. His love for you, my 
dear young friends, is very great, so 
great that he left his Father's bosom, 
and came down from heaven to earth, to 
save you from your sins and from God's 
anger. His love was so great, that he 
who was the Son of God, the brightness 
of his Father's glory, and the express 
image of his person, condescended to 
become a poor, feeble, helpless infant ; to 
be born of a poor virgin, to be wrapped 
in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger, 
that he might teach you the way to 
heaven. He came to be despised and 
rejected for you ; to endure hunger and 
thirst for you ; to suffer and die for you. 
When he was in heaven, surrounded 
with angels and all the glories of the 
upper world, he saw you were miserable, 



113 THE child's best FRIEND. 

and pitied you ; he saw you were poor, 
and came to enrich your souls with his 
grace. For he who was rich, for your 
sakes became poor, that you, through his 
poverty, might be rich. He saw you 
were sinful, and he came to make you 
holy. He saw you were naked, and he 
came to clothe you with his righteousness. 
He saw you were wandering, and he 
came to guide you to his Father's fold. 
He saw you were the children of Satan, 
and he came to make you the sons and 
daughters of the Lord Almighty. He 
bore the wrath of God, the rage of men, 
the malice of devils. He bore every kind 
of reproach and contempt, suffered the 
greatest hardships, and endured the most 
painful sufferings, that you might be saved 
from endless misery, and enjoy eternal 
happiness. 

"It cost him death to save your lives, 
To buy your souls it cost his own; 
And all the unknown joys he gives 
Were bought with agonies unknown." 

2. He is a constant and powerful 



THE child's best FRIEND. 113 

Friend ; he not only loves you now and 
then, but he loves you at all times. He is 
the same yesterday, to-day and forever. 
He is able to save your souls, and not only 
able, but willing to save the most sinful 
children in the world. He can pardon all 
your sins, though they are more in num- 
ber than the hairs of your head, or the 
stars of the heavens. 

" Can Jesus save me ? I have disobeyed 
my parents ; broken the Sabbath ; told 
the greatest falsehoods, and called my 
brothers and sisters by the worst of names. 
I have been idle, as well as wicked, and 
as to praying to God, or reading my Bible, 
or loving Christ, I have not done one of 
them. Can Jesus love or pardon such a 
sinful child as I am ?" 

Yes, his merits are so great, that he can 
save you, because his blood cleanseth 
from all sin. Delay no longer. Jesus is 
waiting to save you. God is waiting to 
be gracious to you. Christ invites you 
to come to him, and he will be your con- 
stant and powerful Friend. 

10* 



114 THE child's best FRIEND. 

" Dear Jesus, can a child so vile 
Be numbered with thy own"? 
No grace but thine can reconcile, 
No blood but thine atone." 

3. He is one that sticketh closer than 
a brother. 

" That cannot be," you say, "for no one 
can love me better than my brother. He 
always endeavours to please me. He 
weeps when I am hurt. He cannot bear 
to see my parents punish me, and he would 
rather be beaten himself than that I should 
be beaten. Wherever I go, he will go 
with me. Once I was at play by the side 
of a river, at the bottom of the garden. 
By accident I fell in, and he, in endea- 
vouring to save me, had nearly lost his 
own life." 

Your brother cannot give you a new 
heart: Jesus can. Your brother cannot 
preserve you from wicked thoughts : 
Jesus can. Your brother did not die that 
you might be saved from hell : Jesus did. 
Should your brother die first, he cannot 
secure you a place in heaven : but Jesus, 



THE child's best FRIEND. 115 

your elder brother, can. " I go/' said he," to 
prepare a place for you, that where I am 
there ye may be also." Your brother can- 
not intercede with God for you in heaven : 
but Jesus is gone to appear in the presence 
of your heavenly Father, and there he 
continually makes intercession for all 
those who love him and put their trust in 
him. Wherever you are, there will Jesus 
be. Wherever you go, Jesus will go 
with you. Besides, your brother cannot 
be always with you. When he grows 
older, then you must part. But Jesus 
sticketh closer than a brother, and will be 
with you at all times and in all places. 
Jesus will be with you in sickness and 
health, in poverty and riches; in child- 
hood and youth ; in the years of maturity; 
in old age ; at the hour of death and 
through eternity. When all friends for- 
sake you, Jesus will be with you. When 
your father and mother are dead, then the 
Lord Jesus will take you up. When 
your dear brother and sister are taken from 
you by the hand of death, then Jesus, 



116 THE child's best FRIEND. 

your elder Brother; Jesus, your affec- 
tionate Friend; Jesus, your compassionate 
Redeemer; Jesus, your constant interces- 
sor; Jesus, your powerful Saviour, lives. 
He lives in heaven, lives at the right hand 
of his Father, and he lives forever and 
ever. delightful thought ! He lives 
to show his love by pleading with your 
God. 

4. He is indeed your best Friend. 
No person can claim this title but Je- 
sus. Not the best of men on earth, nor 
the highest angel in heaven. Consider 
what Jesus has done. He died to save 
your souls. None of you, my young 
friends, can redeem your brother or your 
sister from death, or give to God a ransom 
for their souls. He died that you might 
receive pardon of your sins. Many, if 
not all of you, I fear, are yet enemies to 
God and Christ. But even while you 
were enemies to him, Jesus died that you 
might be reconciled to God, through his 
blood. He died to purify your hearts 
from sin; he wore a crown of thorns, 



THE child's best FRIEND. 117 

that you might wear a crown of glory. 
Even now he is pleading before God his 
Father in heaven. It is Jesus that pre- 
sents your prayers to God, purified from 
every thing that would hinder their accept- 
ance with him. It is he that gives you 
the Holy Spirit, to teach you how to pray 
and what to pray for. The friendship of 
Jesus began long before you were born, 
and it will continue till time shall be no 
more. 

" With tender pity in his heart, 
He acts the Mediator's part; 
A Friend and Brother he appears, 
And well sustains the names he bears." 

III. Be attentive, my dear young friends, 
while I relate his acts of friendship to 
children when he was on earth. 

1. He healed the nobleman's son, who 
was sick of a fever. 

A certain nobleman, who lived at Ca- 
pernaum, had a little boy who was very 
ill of a fever. As soon as this nobleman 
heard that Christ was come to Cana of 
Galilee, he set off from Capernaum, which 



118 THE child's best FRIEND. 

was fifteen miles from Caiia, to ask Jesus 
to come and heal the child, telling him that 
he was at the point of death. " Go thy 
way," said Jesus to him, " thy son liveth." 
He believed Christ, and went home. 

On the way, he was met by the ser- 
vants, who told him that his child was 
well and in health. '^Yesterday at the 
seventh hour," said they, " the fever left 
him all at once ;" and this was the same 
hour in which Jesus said. Thy son liveth. 
And himself believed and his whole 
house; that is, they all became the disciples 
of Christ. The child's sickness was made 
the means of saving the souls of his pa- 
rents, and all the servants. Christ can 
cure the fever of the mind as well as that 
of the body. This is the second miracle 
which Jesus wrought in Galilee.* Jesus 
was this little boy's best Friend. 

2. He raised the ruler's daughter from 
the dead. He was a ruler of the syna- 
gogue. His name was Jairus, or Jair. 

* John iv. 46, &c. 



THE child's best FRIEND. 119 

He came to Christ, and fell at his feet, 
and with humility and earnestness en- 
treated him to cure his sick child, a little 
daughter, about twelve years old, the joy 
of his heart, the darling of his family. 
She appears to have been very much be- 
loved, too, by the neighbours and friends ; 
for at her death they wept and wailed 
greatly. The ruler entreats Christ to 
come and lay his hand on her, believing, 
that if he did this, she would return even 
from the borders of the grave, for she was 
at the point of death. 

As Jesus went with the ruler, a woman 
came behind him and touched the hem 
of his garment, and was healed of her 
disease. 

But now the painful tidings came to the 
ruler, that his daughter was really dead. 
Christ encourages the heart of the sorrow- 
ful father, for he said, " Be not afraid, but 
only believe." 

And when he came into the chamber 
where the little girl was, he took her by 
the hand, and said unto her, " Damsel, I 



120 THE child's best FRIEND. 

say unto thee arise :" and she arose and 
walked; and he commanded that some- 
thing should be given her to eat.* Jesus 
can raise those who are dead in trespasses 
and sins. 

3. He cast out an evil spirit, and cured 
a poor little boy who had the falling 
sickness and was subject to fits. As 
Christ came down from the mount of 
transfiguration, there came a man from 
among the multitude who kneeled before 
him, and said, " Lord, have mercy on my 
son, for he is mine only child, and he is a 
lunatic and sore vexed ; for oft times he 
falleth into the water, and oft times into the 
fire.*' A lunatic is one whose distemper 
commonly lies in the brain. The child 
may have had the falling sickness, and by 
it Satan tormented him and made it more 
painful. In his fits the child was dumb, 
and the fit was so violent that he foamed 
at the mouth and gnashed with his teeth, 
like one in great pain and misery, for the 

* Mark v. 22, &c. 



THE child's best FRIEND. 121 

spirit tore him and almost pulled him to 
pieces. This was a constant grief to the 
afflicted father. He carried him to Christ's 
disciples, but they could not cast him out. 
And Jesus said, " Thou dumb and deaf 
spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and 
enter no more into him." This evil spirit 
was so malicious, when he heard this, that 
he would have killed the child if possible : 
but Jesus effectually cured the poor child, 
and thus became his best Friend.* 

4. He taught humility to his disciples 
by the example of a child. They in- 
quired, "^ Who is the greatest in the king- 
dom of heaven?" And Jesus called a 
little child, and set him in the midst of 
them. He tells them, that as children, 
they must be harmless, inoffensive, void 
of malice ; they must be subjects of his 
kingdom, and not rulers ; that they must 
obey, and not command ; that they must 
be humble, and not exalt themselves 
above measure. The disciple is not above 

* Mark ix. 14. 
11 



122 THE child's best friend. 

his Lord, nor the servant above his 
master. 

5. Notice his kind attention to the 
hosannas of the children in the temple, 
and the rebuke he gave the scribes and 
Pharisees. Some children do not sing at 
all in the temple. The word hosanna 
means, " save now," or " save us, we be- 
seech thee." The children were astonish- 
ed and delighted. They rejoiced to see 
Christ. They united in singing his praise. 
They wished him happiness, prosperity 
and success. They prayed that he would 
save them from sin, misery and the wrath 
of God ; that they might be with him 
in heaven, and sing his praise there. 
This song became them. They were 
Jewish children. Some might be playing 
near the temple, and so left off to sing 
the praises of Christ. And some of them 
might have been brought by their parents 
to worship God. Christ was far from 
being ashamed of them. He took parti- 
cular notice of them. God may be ho- 
noured by babes and sucklings as much 



THE child's best FRIEND. 123 

as by those who are grown up unto years 
of maturity. His praise was perfected or 
finished, completed, by the children. It 
had a peculiar tendency to glorify God. 
Think of his tender regard and attention 
to them when brought to him by their 
parents and friends. It is said, that he 
took them up in his arms, and put his 
hands upon them, and blessed them. 

what a sight ! what highly favoured 
children they were ! I think I hear you 
say, ! if Jesus was here now, I would 
go to him that he might bless me, and 
pardon my sins. 0, says another, I should 
like to be taken up in his arms, and to sit 
on his knees. 0, says a third, I would 
ask him to make me one of his lambs. 
0, says a fourth, I would ask him to be 
my friend, and if he would, then I should 
not want any other Friend but Jesus. 

Ah, my dear young friends, is Jesus 
your Friend, or is he not? Have you 
sought his friendship ? Do you love him, 
or do you not ? seek that he may be 
your best, your kindest, your everlasting 
Friend. Amen. 



124 THE child's best friend. 

" Young children once to Jesus came, 
His blessing to entreat; 
And I may humbly do the same, 
Before his mercy-seat. 

" For when their feeble hands were spread, 

And bent each infant knee, 
* Forbid them not,' the Saviour said ; 

And so he says for me. 

"Though now he is not here below. 
Bat on his heavenly hill, 
To him may little children go. 
And seek a blessing still. 

" Well pleased those little ones to see, 
The dear Redeemer smiled : 
O, then, he will not frown on me, 
A poor, unworthy child. 

" If babes, so many years ago. 
His lender pity drew. 
He will not surely let me go, 
Without a blessing too. 

"Then while this favour to implore 
My little hands are spread, 
Do thou thy sacred blessing pour. 
Dear Jesus, on my head." 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 125 



LECTURE VI. 

Christ in the Temple. 

Luke ii. 46. — " And it came to pass, that after three 
days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the 
midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking 
them questions.''^ 

My dear young friends, 

There are many young people, who, 
though they are in general dutiful and 
obedient to their parents, yet are apt 
sometimes to forget themselves, and com- 
mit faults worthy of blame. Kitty At- 
kins was a child of this disposition. She 
had frequently been told by her mother 
always to hasten home from school, and 
in general she did so. But it happened 
one afternoon, that a schoolfellow (a little 
girl about her own age) invited her to go 
and drink tea with her, and promised her 
a variety of amusements in the evening. 

11* 



126 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

Kitty was so delighted with the pros- 
pect of her pleasures, that she quite forgot 
what her mother had often told her ; and 
went, without even telling her where she 
was going. Her mother, finding that she 
did not return for more than three hours, 
concluded that she was lost, and actually- 
employed the bell-man to go about the 
streets, and offer a reward to any person 
that would bring her home. 

Just as the bell-man had finished his 
round, Kitty came home. On being asked 
where she had been, she told the whole 
truth, (for she never told a falsehood, even 
to screen herself from punishment.) She 
then begged her mother's pardon, and 
promised never to do so again. Her 
mother told her how wrong it was to do 
so, and that she should speak to the mother 
of the Uttle girl who had enticed her, and 
also to the teacher of the school. 

And it was determined, to prevent the 
ill effects of such an example, that on 
the very next half holiday, all the girls 
should be assembled in the play-ground ; 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 127 

that Kitty and her companion should be 
placed in the middle, and their school- 
mates around them in a ring, and that a 
man with a bell should go three times 
round the yard proclaiming "A lost child !" 
in the same manner as the bell-man did 
when Kitty was lost. Vain were the en- 
treaties of the two girls to be excused 
from the shame of this punishment ; they 
were obliged to submit to it, and it had so 
good an effect upon them, that they have 
behaved well ever since. 

I. We find that Jesus was lost; at least 
his parents did not know where to find 
him. Jesus was then twelve years old; 
so that you here find that what is said in 
one of your little hymns is really true. 

" At twelve years old he talked with men ; 
The Jews all wondering stand : 
Yet he obeyed his mother then, 
And came at her command." 

Here I wish you to remember three 
things: — 1. That children are sometimes 
accidentally lost. This is often the case 
with children in the country, as well as 



128 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

children in the city. They frequently 
wander from home without the knowledge 
of their parents ; and a little child may 
soon get so far from home as not to know 
its way back again. Parents should teach 
children to tell their names, and the name 
of the place or street where they live, as 
soon as they are able to speak. Little 
children should not go beyond the bounds 
of their habitation, unless there is some 
person with them, or they are quite sure 
of finding their way back. 

2. That all children are naturally lost. 
They are lost in sin. They wander in the 
paths of iniquity, till Christ, the good 
Shepherd, finds them, and brings them 
back to the fold of God. Children know 
not the right way to heaven, and many 
have none to teach them the way to eter- 
nal happiness. By nature you are all sin- 
ners The Bible says that we are all born 
in sin, and shapen or made in iniquity. 
These are the words of David, the man 
after God's own heart. While you con- 
tinue in sin, like the prodigal son, you are 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 129 

lost to your heavenly Father. Though he 
knows you, and all that you say, think, or 
do, yet you do not know who and what 
he is, or what he has done for you. You 
are lost to every thing that is good ; but 
you know how to do evil things fast 
enough. You have read many books, 
and know Avhat they contain ; but you 
seldom read your Bibles. Do you know 
who Jesus Christ is, any of you? 

" Yes, sir : he is God's own Son, who 
came down from heaven, to save us from 
our sins and from God's anger." 

Hark ! what is that I hear ? 

"The praises of my tongue 
I offer to the Lord ; 
That I was taught and learned so young 
To read his holy word. 

"That I am brouorht to know 
The danger I was in, 
By nature and by practice too, 
A wretched slave to sin. 

"That I am led to see 
I can do nothing well ; 
And whither shall a sinner flee, 
To save himself from hell ] 



130 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

" Dear Lord, this book of thine 
Informs me where to go 
For grace to pardon all my sins, 
And make me holy too." 

3. Remember, that many children who 
die while they are so wicked and without 
a new heart, are eternally lost. 

Can you think, my dear children, that 
those who curse and swear and tell stories, 
can go to heaven when they die ? No, 
God is angry with wicked children every 
day. 

Can you think that those who disobey 
their parents and break the Sabbath can 
live with God and his holy angels ? No, 
they cannot. No, you never will dwell 
with God, unless you love him ; and if you 
love God, you will not do any thing that 
will make him angry. But why should 
you be afraid of God's anger ? 

"Because he can kill my body, and 
make my soul miserable after my body is 
dead." 

You know what your little hymn says, 
*' There is beyond the sky 
A heaven of joy and love, 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 131 

And holy children, when they die, 
Go to that world above. 

" There is a dreadful hell, 
And everlasting pains ; 
There sinners must forever dwell, 
In darkness, fire and chains." 

II. We find that search was made for 
Jesus, "and they sought him among their 
kinsfolks and acquaintance.^' Under this 
remark, I will mention three things more, 
which I wish you to remember. 

1. That children, when accidentally lost, 
are sought for with the greatest anxiety 
and sorrow by their parents. Could you 
see them, I think you would not go from 
home, without their knowledge, any more. 
Could you hear them saying, " Have you 
seen my little girl, and where ?" — " Do you 
know where my little boy is gone ?" Every 
possible inquiry is made, every place 
where you are accustomed to play or to 
visit is searched; but no such little boy 
or girl is to be found. 

Many accidents may happen to you 
while absent from home. You may fall 



132 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

or Otherwise hurt yourselves, and be 
obliged to be carried home to your tender 
parents. If you play near the water, you 
may fall in and be drowned, and be brojght 
home to your parents dead. You may be 
run over by a horse or wagon ; and many 
other things might happen to you. There- 
fore, you should never go from home, 
without first telling your parents where 
you are going ; and, if they refuse to let 
you go, you may be sure that the place is 
improper, or else they would not make 
any objection. 

2. That as all children are naturally 
born in sin, they are sought for by the . 
Lord Jesus Christ and his ministers, with 
the tenderest regard for the salvation of 
their souls. That is the reason of my 
talking to you now, that you may know 
Jesus Christ, and who he is, and what he 
has done for you. I hope I shall be able 
to persuade some Uttle boy or girl who is 
here to love him, and to ask him for a 
new heart and the pardon of his or her 
sins. 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 133 

" Seek Jesus, he alone can give 
That grace by which a child must live; 
All other hope is false and vain, 
None enter heaven till born again." 

Jesus Christ came to seek and to save 
those that are lost. And as I said before 
that all children are lost in sin, therefore 
Christ came to seek and to save little girls 
and boys, as well as men and women. 
Little children are all sinners, and Christ 
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; 
even the very chief, the greatest sinner, 
Christ is able to save. The most sinful 
child Christ is able to pardon and make 
one of his lambs. 

Come to Christ, my dear children, and 
he will give you a new heart, the pardon 
of all your sins, and save you from the 
wrath to come. 

"Come, children, 'tis Jesus that calls, 
The voice of your Saviour obey ; 
When Jesus invites you to come, 
No disciple shall turn you away. 

" The children he folds in his arms 
Must surely be blessed indeed ; 
12 



134 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

For Jesus alone can bestow 

The heavenly blessings they need." 

3. That children are sought for with 

the greatest maUce and hatred by Satan, 

that he may tempt them to commit sin, 

which makes God angry. Sin is the 

cause of your souls being lost forever. 

The Bible says, that " the devil goeth 

about Uke a roaring hon, seeking whom 

he may devour." It is Satan that makes 

children disobedient to their parents. It 

is he that persuades them to tell stories, 

and teaches them to curse and swear; 

and when they hear other children say 

wicked words, Satan tempts them and 

tells them to say the same. He makes 

them idle and lazy. 

" Some children, by old Satan taught, 
Can dare to use the liar's tongue; 
Such children must to Satan go, 
Such, to eternal flames belong." 

It is Satan that entices children to break 
the Sabbath. It is he that lulls them to 
sleep when they go to church, that they 
may not hear the sermon, because he 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 135 

hates every thing that is good. It is he 
that teaches children to cheat and deceive 
persons. He fills their hearts with pride, 
anger, malice, hatred, and makes them 
quarrel and fight, and do mischief. 

"The devil tempts one mother's son 
To rage against another ; 
Thus wicked Cain was hurried on, 
Till he had killed his brother." 

Satan makes children hate God and their 
Bible. He endeavours to keep them from 
praying to God, because he hates prayer. 

HI. That Jesus was found in the tem- 
ple. Here are three things more which I 
hope you will remember. 

1. Children are sometimes found at 
very improper places. In the word of 
God, among other marks of the prosperity 
of Jerusalem, Zechariah mentions that 
the streets of the city shall be full of boys 
and girls playing in the streets thereof; 
but, my dear children, the street is very 
often an improper place to play in. If 
the streets are not very wide, you cannot 
play with safety. Children should not be 



136 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

found in roads where many carriages are 
continually passing by. I had rather see 
children at play ni a yard, or garden, or 
field, where they are not in any kind of 
danger. Children should not be found in a 
stable where there are horses. Children 
should not be found near the water. Child- 
ren should not be found among a crowd of 
people, because they are likely to be pushed 
down and trampled on. Children should 
not be found in Beelzebub's temple, — the 
devil's school : it is a school of scandal 
and of vice ; the certain road to ruin and 
everlasting misery. There you will learn 
all kinds of wickedness, every thing that 
can corrupt the mind, or ruin the soul — I 
mean the play-house, or any such place 
of public amusement. 

2. Sometimes children are found at 
places where they are not expected to be 
found. I have read of three little boys, 
who used to meet to pray in a saw-pit. 
Who would think of finding children in a 
saw-pit at prayer to God, for the pardon 
of their sins, through the blood of Christ ? 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 137 

3. What a delightful thing it is, when 
children are found in the place where 
Jesus was ; in the temple, the house of 
God. The church is the temple of God. 
There you hear the word of God. There 
you hear how much Christ loves little 
children. There you hear the commands 
of God, and you are bound to obey them. 
There you hear how happy good children 
will be, and how miserable wicked child- 
ren will be. There you are told of the 
joys of heaven and the miseries of hell. 
There you hear the ministers of God 
praying for you, that you may be good 
and obedient children, — the lambs of 
Christ ; that you may go to heaven when 
you die. 

" For you the public prayer is made, 
O, join the public prayer; 
For you the secret tear is shed, 
O, shed yourselves a tear. 

" We pray that you may early prove 
The Spirit's power to teach ; 
You cannot be too young to love 
That Jesus whom we preach." 
12* 



138 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

IV. We find that Jesus was found in 
the midst of company. He was sitting in 
the midst of the doctors. Here are three 
more things for you to remember. 

1. Children should not be found in idle 
company. Idleness is a root from whence 
many other sins spring, that are very 
offensive to God. You cannot learn to 
pray from those who never pray them- 
selves. Children learn the ways and 
words of those children with whom they 
play. 

"From one rude boy that's used to mock, 
They learn the wicked jest; 
One sickly sheep infects the flock, 
And poisons all the rest." 

Good children will not be idle, they 
will always find something to do. If they 
are in want of employment, they will 
study their Bibles, where they will find 
both instruction and entertainment. Idle- 
ness brings want: it is very sinful to 
waste your time in idleness. Samuel was 
not idle. When he was a very little boy 
he waited upon the Lord. Timothy was 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 139 

not idle. No, he knew the Scriptures 
from a child. So he read his Bible, and 
remembered what he read. Bees are not 
idle, ants are not idle, birds are not idle. 
It is a shame for children to be idle. 

" In books, or work, or healthful play, 
Let your first years be past, 
That you may give for every day 
Some good account at last." 

2. Children should behave in a suita- 
ble manner when they are in company. 
There are some children who take the 
advantage wlien they are in company, 
because they know that their parents can- 
not then correct them for their faults. 

My dear children, you do not know how 
much you injure yourselves and your 
characters, as well as hurt the feelings of 
your parents, by this conduct. The per- 
sons who are present take notice of your 
behaviour; and when they go home, they 
say to their children or others, "I was 
quite sorry to see how such a little boy 
or such a little girl behaved. If it had 
been a child af mine, I should have been 



140 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

ashamed, and have punished it severely 
for such bad conduct. I hope, my dear 
child, you will never behave so ; if you did, 
I should be very angry with you." 

Those children may go and tell their 
school-fellows and playmates of your bad 
behaviour, and they will shun you. They 
will avoid your company. They will re- 
prove and tell you of your faults, and 
reproach you. Then learn, my dear child- 
ren, how necessary it is for you to behave 
well when you are in company. A good 
name is better than great riches. 

3. Children should be found in the 
company of the wise and good. Christ 
was found among the doctors. If you are 
in the company of those who are truly 
wise, you will gain much knowledge. 

" Away from fools I turn mine eyes, 
Nor with the scoffers go ; 
I would be walking with the wise, 
That wiser I may grow." 

You will find a greater delight in the 
company of wise and good children than 
in the company of those who are mischiev- 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 141 

ous and wicked. Children should take 
delight in going to school, for there, if 
they are diligent scholars, they will learn 
much and grow wiser every day. I wish 
it may be said of you, my dear children, 
as it was of Christ, that he grew in wisdom 
and stature, and in favour Avith God and 
man. 

Good children are never alone. God 
is always with them. They are not afraid 
in the dark ; for God their Father is with 
them there. 

A little boy who was at sea in a great 
storm was playing about the cabin, while 
all the passengers and sailors were much 
terrified and alarmed. When the storm 
Avas over, he was asked why he was not 
afraid. " 0," said the child, " why should I 
be afraid when my father is at the helm ?'^ 
Remember to keep company with wise 
and good children. 

V. We find that Jesus was well em- 
ployed in this company, both hearing 
them and asking them questions. Here, 
my dear children, you may learn much 



142 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

from the example of Jesus Christ when 
he was a Httle boy. What was he doing 
among the doctors in the temple ? 

1. He was hearing them; that is, hst- 
ening attentively to what they said. 
From this part of the employment of 
Christ, first learn to be attentive. How 
is it possible for you to know what any- 
body is saying to you, if you are looking 
about you, and playing and laughing, 
when you should be looking at the minis- 
ter? You should be attentive to your 
parents when they speak to you ; to the 
minister when he speaks to you from the 
pulpit ; to your teacher when he instructs 
you in the school. 

2. Learn to be humble. Never think 
that you know enough. Always be 
learning. You cannot know too much. 
Remember what you are made of, that 
you are dust, and must return to dust 
again. What have you to be proud of? 
Nothing. Be always ready to learn, and 
remember that there are others who have 
been many more years in the world than 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 143 

you. Why, you are but beggars, after all 
your pride and vauity. 

" And what are children, at the best, 
But beggars charitably drest ; 
Poor little beggars, who receive 
Nothing but what their parents givel" 

3. Learn to be teachable. Good child- 
ren are humble, modest, teachable and 
attentive, and so must all those children 
be who wish to go to heaven. In that 
happy place, the angels are all lovely and 
amiable, and so must all good children be, 
if they wish to dwell with Jesus in his 
heavenly kingdom. How delightful it 
was to the Lord Jesus to see Mary sitting 
at his feet, listening attentively to the 
words which he spoke ; and she did not 
hear in vain. How pleasing it is, my 
dear children, to see you all so still and 
attentive. I wish you may all say, by 
your looks and actions, 

" Give us, dear Jesus, ears to hear, 
And hearts to understand ; 
In trouble may we find thee near, 
A Saviour dose at hand." 



144 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

VI. We read that Jesus was hearing or 
attending to what they said. The text 
tells us that he was employed also in 
asking them questions. From this part 
of his employment you may learn, my 
dear children, 

1. To seek instruction. There are 
many children who are very curious, and 
discover very early an inquiring mind. 
Some children will puzzle their parents to 
give them answers to some of their in- 
quiries. A little girl once asked me this 
question. " If I should go to hell when I 
die, and pray to God when I am there, will 
he not take me to heaven afterwards?" 
"No, my dear child," I replied; "don't you 
know what is said in one of your hymns? 

"Then 'twill forever be in vain 
To crj^ for pardon or for grace; 
To wish I had my time again, 
Or hope to see my Maker's face. 

It will then be too late to pray; there- 
fore you had better pray to God now." 

2. Children should manifest an earnest 
desire to be instructed, by asking questions 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 145 

when they are reading about what they 
do not understand. A httle boy, who 
used to read the Bible to me on the Sab- 
bath-day, whenever he came to a word or 
sentence which he did not understand, 
used to stop and ask the meaning. 

3. Children should endeavour to re- 
member what they hear, that they may 
profit by it. This may be the last time ; 
you may not hear of Jesus Christ any 
more ; you cannot tell how soon you 
may die. 

I will now conclude, my dear children, 
with a few admonitions. Have a little 
patience, and listen to me a little longer. 
I will not keep you many minutes. 

1. Remember that you are lost in sin; 
that you are all sinners, and stand in need 
of a Saviour to pardon your sins. 

2. Remember to search or seek for 
salvation ; that is, to seek to have Christ 
for your Saviour; to be delivered from 
the bondage of sin and the dominion of 
Satan ; to be delivered from all evil, and 
to possess that which alone can make you 

13 



146 CHRIST IX THE TEMPLE. 

happy in this world and in that which is 
to come. None but Christ can save 
your souls from hell. 

3. Pray that you may be found in the 
temple of heaven at last. There you 
shall see Jesus face to face, and dwell 
with holy men and holy angels. Then 
shall you sit at his right hand, where 
there is fulness of joy and pleasures for- 
evermore. 

4. Children should be very careful to 
avoid bad company, and keep company 
with wise and good children, or none at 
all. Bad company has been the ruin of 
thousands. It is the first step to ruin. 

5. Learn of those who can and will 
instruct you. If they think it a pleasure 
to instruct you, you should think it a pri- 
vilege and pleasure to attend to their 
instructions. 

6. Go often to the house of God. 
Jesus always went to the synagogue on 
the Sabbath, wherever he was. Children 
should be always ready to go to the 
house of God. A very little girl, who 



CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 147 

had been at play with her school-fellows on 
a Saturday afternoon, said that she wished 
every day was Saturday, except one. 

"And what do you wish that to be?" 
said her mother. 

" Sunday," said the child. 

"Why?" 

"Because then I can go to the house 
of God, and hear about Jesus Christ." 

7. Remember to behave in a proper 
manner in the house of God. Do not 
laugh and play, or be inattentive ; but 
listen to what the minister is saying, that 
you may hear the word of God. Take 
heed also of going to sleep when you are 
there. 

8. Read your Bibles. Study the life 
of Christ, and imitate his example. And 
may the Lord give you understanding in 
all these things, and bless you all, for 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

"Bright were the beams of love divine, 
When God's own Son, an infant, came, 
And all his actions, as he grew. 
Our growing admiration claim. 



148 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 

" Twelve years (his age) divinely led, 
He came to do his Father's will ; 
Though God himself, forever blest, 
He would his Father's law fulfil. 

"There, clad like us, Jehovah sat 
Among the tribes of Israel's race ; 
Each elder wondered where he learned 
Such words of wisdom and of grace. 

" For more than man, though yet a child, 
His deity divinely shone ; 
He filled his Father's temple well, 
And well he fills his Father's throne- 

"Then, holy Saviour, may we seek, 
As we in years and stature grow, 
To follow thee, the living way. 
And do thy Father's will below. 

"To Sion, as thy parents led 

Thine infant footsteps in the way, 
So may our parents lead us on, 
While v/e with willing feet obey 



») 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 149 



LECTURE VII. 

The good Child^s Petition. 
Luke xi. 1. — '■^ Lordy teach us to pray. 



?» 



My dear young friends, 

It is a painful thought, that there are 
thousands in hell, who, while here on earth, 
never uttered one prayer to God, from 
the hour of their birth to the time of their 
death. Many have died with an oath or 
a curse upon their lips. Many have died, 
and many children too, praying to God ; 
and, full of holy joy, have sung his praise, 
while passing through the dark valley of 
the shadow of death. What are the 
prayers which you offer to God ? Some 
there are, now within these walls, who 
never pray at all. Some who only say 
a short prayer which they were taught 
Avhen quite young. Some there are who 
say, perhaps, "I believe in God," but this 

13* 



150 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

is not a prayer. It is only telling God 

what you believe ; while, at the same 

time, you know nothing at all about the 

matter. There are some children who 

say the Lord's prayer, "Our Father," &c., 

and this, indeed, is an excellent prayer. 

It was taught by Jesus to his disciples, 

when they came to him and said. Lord, 

teach us to pray as John also taught his 

disciples ; and he said unto them, When 

ye pray, say 

" Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be 
thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be 
done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this 
day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, 
as we forgive them that trespass against us. And 
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power 
and the glory forever. Amen." 

How many of you, my dear children, 
understand the meaning of this prayer? 
Not one half of you. You say, " Oar 
Father who art in heaven," when at the 
same time you curse and swear and lie 
and break the Sabbath. You disobey 
your parents, You never read the Bible, 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 151 

unless you are obliged to read it, and yet 
you say, " Our Father," while at the same 
time you have a wicked heart, keep 
wicked company, indulge wicked thoughts 
and do wicked actions. 

Remember, that God is the Father of 
good children only ; but wicked children 
are a part of the devil's family. Satan is 
their father, and he was a liar from the 
beginning of the world; so that we are 
not to wonder when his children tell so 
many lies as they do. Are you not often 
cross, ill-natured, cruel and mischievous ? 
You call God your Father, and at the 
same time you obey the devil. 

You say, "Hallowed, or sacred, be thy 
name ;" and upon the most trifling occa- 
sion you will say, " Lord ! God ! 
Christ ! God bless us ! Lord, look !" This 
is taking the Lord's name in vain. 

You say, " Thy kingdom come ;" and 
at the same time, you are the servants of 
the wicked one and slaves of sin. You 
belong to Satan and to the kingdom of 
darkness and iniquity. 



152 THE GOOD CHILD S PETITION. 

You say, " Thy will be done on earth 
as it is in heaven ;" and, at the same time, 
you oppose the will of God and do all 
you can to hinder it from being done, 
either by yourselves or others. It is his 
will that you should come here from time 
to time to hear of God ; but you do not 
come. It is his will that you should pray; 
but you do not pray. It is his will that 
you should read the Bible ; but you do 
not. It is his will that you should be 
good children ; but you are not. Why 
do you say one thing and mean ano- 
ther? 

You say, <'Give us this day our daily 
bread." If you were to be asked who it 
is that gives you food, you would say, 
your parents : but who gives it to your 
parents ? God. 

You say, "Forgive us our trespasses, 
or sins, as we forgive those who trespass 
against, or injure us." Now when any 
one has done any thing amiss to you, do 
you forgive them ? Do you not take 
revenge by treating them ill, or speaking 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 153 

ill of them ? If you expect God to forgive 
your sins, you must forgive others, your 
brothers, your sisters, your school-fellows 
and playmates. 

You say, " Lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil." My dear 
children, you should not only pray to God 
to keep you from sin, but you should try 
and keep yourselves from it, by watching 
against the very appearance of evil ; by 
forsaking your evil ways and wicked 
companions, for they will lead you not 
only into evil and sorrow, but to misery 
without end. 

" Thine is the kingdom ;'' and may all 
these children be subjects of the kingdom 
of God. '^ Thine is the power." Lord, 
exert thy power at this time, let thy work 
appear to thy servant and thy glory unto 
these children. "Amen." If but one soul 
be taught to seek the Lord, if but one 
child be brought to pray to God, (for he 
will hear the prayers of a little child,) to 
Him shall be all the glory and all the 
praise. 



154 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

Thus the prayer is concluded. Now, 
my young friends, attend to the lecture, 
and I hope you will go away wiser than 
you came, and know more of the nature, 
importance and necessity of prayer. 

The first question a child would natu- 
rally ask me is this, To whom should I 
pray? You say it is my duty: tell me the 
name, nature and attributes of that Being 
to whom my petitions are to be offered. 

His name is God. In his nature he is 
spiritual and eternal, and those who wor- 
ship or pray to him must worship him in 
spirit and in truth. He made you, there- 
fore it is your duty to pray to him : he ex- 
pects that you should love and serve him, 
and how can you pretend to love and serve 
him, if you never pray to him ? Could 
you but see God only once, you would 
think him the most lovely and most ex- 
cellent of all beings. 

Are you not very young? A few years 
ago you had no being at all. Twenty 
years ago you were not born. You can- 
not preserve your own lives. He that 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 155 

made you can destroy you. Besides, you 
are sinful creatures. You have provoked 
that God who made you, to be angry with 
you, and to take away all your comforts. 
Are you willing to continue under the an- 
ger of Christ forever ? 

God is very gracious. He has not only 
encouraged you to pray to him, but pro- 
mised to hear your prayers. Do you know 
how terrible the anger of God is ? He can 
make you miserable in this world and in 
that which is to come. 

" To Christ, who reigns above the sky, 
Your Father and your Friend, 
To him let all your vows be paid, 
And all your prayers ascend. 

" With all the love a Father feels, 
He pities and forgives ; 
And though our earthly parents die, 
Our heavenly Father lives." 

The second question a child would ask 
is, What should I say when I pray to 
God? Before I answer this, let me ask 
you a question, and I should like to hear 
one of you answer it. What is prayer ? 



156 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

" Prayer is an offering up of our desires 
to God, for things agreeable to his will, in 
the name of Christ." 

Yes, prayer is the desire of the heart. If 
you are hungry, you will ask for food: if 
you are thirsty, you will ask for drink : if 
you are lost, you will ask for the right way. 
You will not ask for what you do not want. 
Do you know what your wants are? At- 
tend. 

1. The wants of your bodies. I mean, 
the things you want in this world. They 
are called temporal wants. You stand in 
daily need of food and raiment, that you 
may not suffer hunger or cold. You 
want the continuance of your health and 
strength, or you would pine away in sick- 
ness and pain. Can you preserve your 
own lives, or can any of your friends save 
you from dying ? Do you not know that 
Christ is the author of all your comforts ? 
It is on him that you depend for daily 
food and clothing, for health and strength, 
for recovery from sickness, for preserva- 
tion from danger and death. It is cer- 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 157 

tainly from God that you must seek all 
these things by prayer. You never heard 
a beggar complain for want of words to 
express his wants, or that he did not know 
how to beg, or what to say. Are you not 
exposed to dangers every day and every 
night ? Do you not want the care of God 
to keep you, to preserve you from mischief, 
from fires, from violent and cruel men, and 
from all evils of every kind ? You can- 
not walk without his help. You cannot 
learn without his assistance ; therefore you 
should pray for a retentive memory. 

2. Spiritual wants. You are guilty crea- 
tures, and need the pardon of your sins. 
You have hearts, but they are not holy ; 
therefore they must be renewed. And, 
since you cannot atone for your sins, or 
change your hearts, how earnestly should 
you pray that God would forgive your 
sins and change your hearts, for the sake 
of his well beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Re- 
member how sinful you all are by nature. 
Are you not ready to commit new sins 
every day ? Are you not apt to be angry 

14 



158 THE GOOD CHILD S PETITION. 

without a cause ; to strike others too soon, 
and call them names, for which, after- 
wards, you are very sorry ? Do you not 
fret and grow uneasy if other children 
have things better than you? Are you 
not apt to disobey your parents, or your 
teacher, when their commands are not 
pleasing to you ? Are you not sometimes 
inclined to hide your faults by telling a lie ? 
Do you not find yourselves too ready to 
learn that which is evil; and to be indiffer- 
ent or careless about that which is good ? 
Are you not ready sometimes to do a 
thing privately wliich is not allowed you, 
or which is forbidden ? 0, my dear young 
friends, do you not find that there are a 
great number of things that you want? 
And when you pray, you need not be at 
a loss for words, or for a blessing to ask 
of God. See how much you need the 
grace of God to keep you from sin daily. 

*' What is there, Lord, a child can do 
That feels with sin oppressed 1 
There's evil which I never knew 
Before, within my breast. 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 159 

" My thoughts are vain, my heart is hard, 
My temper apt to rise ; 
And when I seem upon my guard, 
It takes me by surprise.' 



9i 



3. There are eternal blessings of which 
you stand in need, and for these you 
ought to pray to God. You cannot al- 
ways live in this world. Your body must 
die, and be buried, and turn to dust in the 
grave. But your soul or spirit cannot 
die ; it must then go into another world. 
You have been told, that Jesus, who was 
once on earth and died for sinners, is now 
gone to heaven to prepare a place for all 
that serve God and love him. Do you 
think he will prepare a place for you ? 
Can you bear to go like a stranger into 
another world, and not know where you 
are going? You must stand before the 
Judge of all — are you prepared ? There 
is a heaven for the righteous, who love 
Christ and pray to him; and a hell for 
the wicked, Avho neither pray to him nor 
love him. Can you even hope that God 
will save you from hell, and receive you 



160 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

to dwell with him and the holy angels, if 
you never pray to him for blessings? 
Now I have told you what you should 
say to God when you pray to him. 

A third question that a child should ask 
is, Who should I pray for besides myself? 

Your parents claim part of your prayers 
to God. Have you not a father and a 
mother that you are bound to love and 
obey? Would you not pray that God 
would give them grace, and enable them 
to instruct you, and bring you up in his 
nurture and admonition? Have you bro- 
thers and sisters ? Pray for them. Have 
you friends and relations? Pray for 
them. Your teachers, too, pray for them. 
You should pray for ministers also ; they 
catechise and instruct you ; and when you 
hear them preach, you should pray for a 
blessing on what you hear. They pray 
for you, and you should pray for them. 
Pray for your school-fellows, and for 
those poor children who never pray, and 
who have no parents to pray for them. 
0, my young friends, say with all your 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 161 

hearts, "Lord, teach us how to pray, and 
what to pray for. We cannot remember 
all these things without thy help." 

My dear young friends, after offering 
up this short petition, a child would ask a 
fourth question. Who will teach Tue to 
,pray ? Hear the text. I will read it. 
"Lord, teach us to pray." By these 
words you find it is the Lord that will 
teach you. Yes, my dear young friends, 
by his Holy Spirit he will bring all these 
things to your remembrance. The Holy 
Spirit will sanctify your hearts and make 
them holy. By the Spirit you are taught 
the evil nature and awful consequences 
of sin against God. By the Holy Spirit 
you are taught the necessity and import- 
ance of prayer. It is the Spirit that 
creates in your hearts a desire to pray. 
It is the Spirit that will teach you what 
you are to pray for. It is the Spirit that 
will keep your thoughts from wandering 
when you pray to God. It is he that 
keeps you from weariness, dulness and 
carelessness in prayer. True prayer from 

14* 



162 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

the heart comes from God to the heart, 
and then arises from the heart to God 
again. See, then, my dear young friends, 
how necessary it is to have such a teacher 
as the Holy Spirit. 

Again, a fifth question that a child 
would ask is, How, or in what manner, 
am I to pray to God? Remember, 
when you are going to pray, to whom 
you are going to speak. It is God, and 
not man. It is a holy, just, merciful and 
majestic God ; who regards the hearts and 
thoughts more than the words or the pos- 
ture. 

"When daily you kneel down to pray, 
As you are taught to do, 
God does not care for what you say, 
Unless you feel it too." 

Remember, then, that you are praying 
to God, and not to man ; therefore, speak 
as if you were speaking to God alone. 
A low voice in prayer is proper. It may 
be so loud that yourself can just hear it, 
and you will find it of some use to keep 
your thoughts from wandering. Let your 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 163 

thoughts be composed. The reading of a 
chapter or a psalm will help to compose 
your thoughts and fix them on divine 
things. Take care that you do not mock 
God with your lips, while your hearts are 
far from him. 

»' What foolish thoughts your hearts beguile ; 
And when you pray or sing, 
You're often thinking all the while 
About some other thing. 

" Some idle play or foolish toy 

Can send your thoughts abroad, 
Though this should be your greatest joy. 
To love and serve the Lord." 

Be sincere in what you say to Christ. 
Pray as if you earnestly wished that God 
would hear you, not as though you did 
not care whether he heard you or not. 
Be humble, when you remember that 
you are dust. It is a great condescension 
in God, who is infinitely great as well as 
infinitely good, to listen to the prayers of 
sinful children, such as you are. It shows 
that he is very gracious and kind, to 
attend to the wants of little children -, that 



164 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

he will not only hear, but that he will 
answer their prayers, and give them every 
blessing which they need. 

" God is so good that he will hear 
Whenever children humbly pray; 
He always lends a gracious ear 

To what the youngest child can say." 

Pray with submission to the will of 
Christ. Imitate Jesus, and after you have 
prayed for every blessing you want, say, 
"Not my will, but thine be done ;" not as 
I please, Lord, but give me what thou 
knowest to be good and proper for me. 
Remember to ask for every blessing and 
every favour in the name of Jesus Christ, 
for the sake of what he has done for 
children. 

"Dear children, never, never dare 
To act the trifler's part ; 
Nor think that God will hear a prayer 
That comes not from the heart." 

A sixth question that a child would ask 
is. How often should I pray ? At least 
every morning and evening. There are 
some children who only pray to God, or 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 165 

rather say their prayers, in the evening. 
Some say the Lord's prayer and a hymn. 
Some say only a hymn, or part of a hymn, 
and then they think they have done all 
that is required of them. Their parents 
are satisfied. The children are satisfied. 
But God is not satisfied. 

" You never can be said to pray, 
From what your lips are saying; 
'Tis when your lips and heart unite, 
That God beholds you praying." 

Can you lie down to rest at night, be- 
fore you have thanked God for his care 
of you during the day? You should 
likewise endeavour to remember what 
sins you have committed during the day, 
and beg of God to pardon them, for 
Christ's sake. You ought to implore his 
protection through the night, that you 
may lay yourselves down in peace and 
sleep. For remember that it is God 
alone who makes you to dwell in safety. 

When you rise in the morning, can you 
sit down to your breakfast, or go abroad 
to school or anywhere else, before you 



166 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

return your thanks to God for his kind- 
ness to you through the night, and entreat 
his blessing upon yourselves and friends, 
and on what you are about to do in the 
day? 

But you may pray oftener than night 
and morning. Daniel prayed three times 
a day. David prayed three times a day, 
morning, noon and night. I knew a 
young girl, about twelve years of age, 
who used to go up-stairs to pray to 
Christ by herself, as soon as she came 
home from school in the morning. I am 
afraid there are not many who do so. 

One more question may be asked, and 
I must answer that before I tell you of 
any more little girls and boys. Where 
may I pray 7 Isaac prayed in the field. 
Daniel, in the lion's den. Jonah, in the 
fish's belly. Samuel, in the temple. 
Christ, on a mountain. Peter, on the 
house-top. Children commonly pray in 
their chambers. I knew a little boy, who 
used to pray sometimes as he was walking 
in a lane or in the street, sometimes in the 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 167 

garden or in the hay-loft. Remember, 
that it is not the place, nor the time, 
which God regards; but the heart. 
He will hear you whenever you pray 
and wherever you pray. He is more 
ready to hear than you are to pray, and 
more ready to forgive than you are to ask 
forgiveness. He hears you if you but 
utter a sigh, or a groan. He counts all 
the steps you take to a throne of grace. 
There is not a more lovely sight than a 
little child on its knees in prayer to God. 

I am now going to repeat some of the 
most remarkable prayers. Susan's prayer 
— then they all kneeled down, and were 
all very attentive to hear the little girl 
pray for her father in this way : " God, 
my heavenly Father, I love thee, because 
thou art always good ; and I hope my 
other father will be good too ; and then 
my heavenly Father will love him and 
make him happy. make him good, and 
we shall all be happy." The effect of 
this prayer on her father was very great. 

Joseph's prayer. A little boy used the 



168 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

following words: "Now, Lord, save 
me, a sinful child and a vile sinner. I 
know I have sinned against thee many 
times. Lord, I wish I had not. Do 
hear, Lord; save me, a poor sinful 
child. Christ was crucified ; dear Lord, 
save me for his sake. this soul of 
mine, that must be in heaven or hell for- 
ever ! Keep me this day and month and 
year ; and if I should live twenty, or forty 
years, help me to live to thy glory." 

Elizabeth's prayer. A little girl of this 
name said to her teacher, a little before 
she died, " Farewell, my friend, my ever 
dear teacher ; the last prayer I make to 
God shall be for you; and whenever your 
Saviour calls you home, I will (if he per- 
mits me) with pleasure come out of the 
golden gates to meet you, when your 
soul leaves the body, and join the angels 
in conducting you to our Immanuel." 

John's prayer. A little boy, who had 
been bitten by a mad dog, was informed 
that the doctor was sent for; but he, 
closing his eyes and folding his hands, 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 169 

said, "0 my God, thou canst do more 
for me than the doctors can. Thou hast 
washed me in the blood of the Lamb. 
Take me to thyself. I shall not stay long 
now. I must die and go to the bosom of 
my Jesus." 

" To heaven can reach the softest words, 
A child's repenting prayer ; 
For tears are seen, and sighs are heard, 
And thoughts regarded there." 

But what shall I say to those who 
never pray ; who rise in the morning and 
lie down in the evening, and never utter 
one single prayer to God at all .'' My 
dear children, where do you sit ? What 
are your names ? What, not pray to God ! 

" I do not know how to pray." 

Have you parents ? 

" Yes." 

Well, do they not teach you to pray ? 

"No." 

Do they ever pray ? 

" I never heard them." 

Ah, my dear children, I pity you. 0, 
ye praying children, hear this ! Here are 

15 



170 THE GOOD child's PETITION. 

children who never prayed to God in 
their lives ! 0, pray for them, that the 
Lord would teach them to pray. Their 
minds are ignorant of Christ and religion 
and heavenly things. Is it not a pleasing 
thing to think that God has promised to 
give his own Holy Spirit to instruct and 
teach you how to pray? Do you not 
read in the Bible, If fathers give good 
gifts to their children, how much more 
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy 
Spirit to them that ask him ? You, my 
dear children, who never yet prayed to 
God, have only to use the words of the 
text as a prayer ; and to offer the prayer 
of the publican, saying, " God be merci- 
ful to me a sinner." You have need to 
say, with Mary Turner, "Lord, give me 
a new heart." 

What whisper is that I hear ? " Lord, 
teach us to pray." 

" Lord, teach a little child to pray, 
Thy grace betimes impart; 
A.nd grant thy Holy Spirit may 
Renew my infant heart. 



THE GOOD child's PETITION. 171 

*' A sinful creature I was born, 
And from the birth I strayed ; 
I must be wretched and forlorn 
Without thy mercy's aid. 

" But Christ can all ray sins forgive, 
And wash away their stain ; 
And fit ray soul with him to live, 
And in his kingdom reign. 

" To him let little children come, 
For he hath said they may ; 
His bosom then shall be their home, 
Their tears he'll wipe away. 

" For all who early seek his face 
Shall surely taste his love ; 
Jesus shall guide them, by his grace, 
To dwell with him above." 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 173 



LECTURE VIII. 

The Way to be Wise. 
John V. 39. — " Search the Scriptures" 
My DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, 

The Bible is the best book in the 
world. It is the only book that can 
make you truly wise and truly good. It 
may well be compared to a river, whose 
waters, in some places, are so shallow 
that a lamb may walk through them, and 
in other places so deep that an elephant 
may swim in them. It is not to be com- 
pared with any other book, not only be- 
cause it speaks the truth alone, but be- 
cause it changes the heart and raises the 
thoughts from earth to heaven. It has 
no trifling stories, as many other books 
have. Even those parts which relate the 
histories of good and bad men are full 
of excellent lessons of instruction. Here 

15* 



174 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

are lessons for the young, as well as for 
their parents: lessons which teach us 
God's love to early piety. This we see 
in the calling of Samuel while yet a 
child ; and God's hatred to young sin- 
ners in his sending judgments upon the 
sons of Eli. 

A martyr who was condemned to die 
for his love to God and his regard for the 
Bible, when he came to the stake, took 
his final leave of all things here below in 
these affecting words : " Farewell, sun 
and moon ; farewell, all the beauties of 
creation and all the comforts of life ; 
farewell, my dear friends; farewell, my 
beloved relations; and farewell, thou 
precious book of God." 

David, the king of Israel, made this 
public declaration : that the word of God 
was more to him than thousands of gold 
and silver; sweeter to him than honey 
or the honey-comb. How precious the 
Bible must be. It is the book from God ! 
Yes, it is certain that God has given you 
the Bible. And what the Bible says you 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 175 

are to regard as the word of God ; as his 
voice speaking to you. You are told and 
taught to believe this : because, in 2 Tim. 
iii. 1 6, it is thus written, " All Scripture is 
given by inspiration of God, and is pro- 
fitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
tion, for instruction in righteousness." 

Wicked men say and pretend to be- 
lieve the Bible is not true, only because 
they wish it were not true. And when it 
reproves them for sin, they curse the 
book, and would, if they dare, throw it 
in the fire. 

A party of young men, who were ex- 
ceedingly wicked, met together one even- 
ing, and in the midst of their wickedness, 
madness and folly, they came to an awful 
resolution to burn the Bible ! Accord- 
ingly a large fire was prepared. The 
Bible was laid upon the table, and near 
it stood a flowing bowl of liquor, to drink 
after the dreadful deed was performed. 
One of the most wicked and daring in the 
company was appointed to carry the 
Bible from the table to the fire. He took 



176 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

np the sacred volume, and was walking 

towards the fire. He cast his eyes on the 

book in his hand. A sudden trembling 

seized him in every part of his body. 

Paleness covered his face. He came 

back to the table, and laid down the 

Bible, saying, "Let us not burn that 

book till we get a better." This young 

man afterwards lived to experience its 

value and taste its sweetness even on a 

dying bed. 

" bless the Lord for Bibles given, 
To teach our souls the way to heaven." 

I. Let us inquire what you are to 
search? It is the Scriptures, or sacred 
writings, which we are told were written 
" by holy men of God, who spake as they 
were moved by the Holy Ghost.'' The 
word search means to read with close and 
earnest attention. You are directed to 
search by him who knew the value of 
the book which he commands you to read. 
The Old Testament was all that was then 
written, but the New Testament is now 
added, by which their value is much in- 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 177 

creased, their harmony displayed, their 
meaning explained and their beauty set 
forth. The Bible is the name by which 
this precious book is mostly called. Some 
say the Holy Bible. Others call it the 
Word of God, because the things which 
the Bible contains were spoken by God, 
and written "by holy men, who spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 
It is also called the Old and New Testa- 
ments. The Old Testament was written 
by Moses and the prophets; the New 
Testament, by the evangelists and apos- 
tles. The Old Testament contains thirty- 
nine ditferent books; and the New (which 
lias been written since the coming of the 
Lord Jesus into the world) contains twenty- 
seven books. 

This precious book contains a variety 
of important truths, which may be divided 
into history, doctrine and prophecy, each 
of which are equally instructive and im- 
portant. There are excellent examples 
for you to imitate ; important doctrines 
for you to believe, and precepts for you to 



178 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

obey ; mysteries, far above the imdeistand- 
ing of the wisest of men ; while many parts 
are so plain and simple, that a little child 
may learn the way to heaven. 

*' How glad the heathen would have been, 
That worship idols, wood and stone, 
If they the book of God had seen, 
Or Jesus or his gospel known." 

A vessel sprang a leak at sea, and was 
sinking very fast; when the sailors jumped 
into the boat, one of them, at the hazard 
of his life, ran back into the cabin for 
something he had forgotten, and when he 
came back to the boat, behold it was a 
Bible! which he esteemed so much as 
to run the risk of his life to save it. 

II. I will endeavour to show you why 
you should search the Scriptures, or, I 
might say, and perhaps 3^ou will under- 
stand me better if I say, why you should 
read your Bibles. After having told you 
what you are to search, or read, the next 
thing is, to give you some reasons to urge 
you to search the Scriptures: and I 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 179 

assure you I can give you some very 
good ones. 

One reason is, because it is not only the 
best book, but it is God's book. If 3'ou 
were at a distance from home, and your 
parents sent you a letter, would you not 
read it? yes, that you would, I am 
sure. And will you not read what God 
has written for you ? A little girl once 
said, that the Bible was God's word, and 
that the catechism was the Bible's word. 

Another reason is, because you do not 
know what the Bible contains. And if 
you are ignorant of the important and 
glorious things which are in the Bible, 
you are strangers to the only things which 
can make you happy in this life and 
happy forever in the world to come. 
Let me briefly tell you what things these 
are, which you ought to know. 

The Scriptures will tell you who and 
what God is : that he is a Spirit ; that he 
is eternal, holy, wise, powerful and good. 
They will tell you what you are : that 
you are all sinners, born in sin and shapen 



180 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

in iniquity ; that your thoughts and ima- 
ginations are evil from your youth ; that 
you go astray from your birth, speaking 
Ues; that childhood and youth are vanity; 
that your hearts are deceitful above all 
things, and desperately wicked ; that your 
natures are depraved, your understandings 
darkened, your passions sinful, your affec- 
tions earthly, and your souls exposed to 
the wrath of God ; that your bodies were 
formed of dust, and will return to dust 
again ; but that your souls are immortal, 
and will live forever. 

The Scriptures tell you what is your 
duty to God and man : " That thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy 
mind, and with all thy strength ; and thou 
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On 
these two commandments," said Christ, 
" hang all the law and the prophets.'' 

The Scriptures tell you of a Saviour, 
who was God ; but who came down from 
heaven, and became man, that he might 
save your souls from the wrath to come. 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. ISl 

They tell you that he suffered hunger and 
thirst, temptations and trials ; that he be- 
came a man of sorrows and acquainted 
with grief; that he was sold by Judas, de- 
nied by Peter, and forsaken by the rest of 
the disciples ; that he was falsely accused, 
unjustly condemned, buffeted, scourged 
and spit upon ; that he was crucified on the 
cross, and gave himself a ransom for you. 
He suffered, that you might be happy. He 
died, that you might live forever. 

The Scriptures tell you the way to hea- 
ven ; that Christ is the only way to God 
the Father ; that whosoever believeth in 
him shall not perish, but have everlasting 
life. They tell you that he has gone to 
heaven, to prepare a place for all those 
dear children who serve God and love his 
Son Jesus, They tell you it is on ac- 
count of what Christ has done that you 
will be admitted into heaven, and not on 
account of any thing that you can do. 

The Scriptures relate to you the history 
of the creation of the world ; the fall of 
Adam ; the flood ; the building of Babel ; 

IG 



182 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

the plagues of Egypt ; the giving of the ten 
commandments ; the journey of the Israel- 
ites through the wilderness, and the mira- 
cles attending it. There are histories of 
good and of bad children, as well as of 
wicked and of holy men; but, above 
all, there is the history of Jesus Christ, his 
birth, his life, his miracles, his suifering 
and death. 

The Scriptures give you the real charac- 
ters of Cain and Abel, of Noah, Enoch, 
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, 
Jabez, Samuel, Abijah, Josiah, Obadiah, 
Solomon, Timothy, Mary, Martha, Dor- 
cas, Lydia, Phebe, Priscilla, Rebecca, 
Sarah, Abigail, Hannah, Esther and Ruth. 
My dear little girls will read and learn the 
thirty-first chapter of Proverbs, from the 
tenth verse to the end, if they would know 
the character of a good woman. 

The Scriptures speak of God's punishing 
wicked children. God set a mark upon 
Cain ; denounced a curse upon Ham ; com- 
manded the stubborn son to be put to 
death; caused the children who mocked 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 183 

the prophet Elisha to be torn in pieces 
by the bears ; and Absalom to be cut off 
for his undutiful conduct to his father. 

The Scriptures give you an account of 
some remarkable prayers; such as the 
prayer of Jabez, the prayer of Solomon, 
the prayer of Agur, the prayer of Heze- 
kiah, and many of David's prayers, and the 
publican's prayer, which is very suitable 
for every child — " God be merciful to me 
a sinner." 

The Scriptures declare, that the dead, 
small and great, shall stand before God ; 
that he will bring every work into judg- 
ment, with every secret thing, whether it 
be good or evil ; that the wicked shall go 
away into everlasting punishment, but the 
righteous into life eternal. 

Thus, I have very briefly told you of a 
few of the good things which this precious 
book contains. 

But who is it that speaks these words, 
" Search the Scriptures ?" It is Jesus, it 
is Christ the Saviour, your best Friend. 
It is his desire. It is his command ; and 



184 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

if you love him, you will keep his com- 
mands. 

And Jesus himself gives you two very 
important reasons ; " for in them ye think 
ye have eternal life ;" that is, the Scriptures 
show you how to obtain eternal life. " And 
they are they which testify of me ;" that 
is, the prophets bore witness to his coming, 
and they foretold that he should come, to 
take away sin, by the sacrifice of himself. 
This is therefore another very powerful 
reason, because it is Christ that tells you 
to search the Scriptures. 

III. I must now tell you how, or in 
what manner, you should search the Scrip- 
tures, or, in other words, how you should 
read your Bible. 

1. Read the Scriptures as if you really 
believed them to be true. Ignorant men 
could never have been the authors of a 
book to make you truly wise. Bad men 
could not invent a book that will make 
you good and happy. You cannot read 
the Bible in a profitable manner, if you 
think at the same time that what you read 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 185 

is false. The salvation of the soul de- 
pends upon the truth of the Bible. Re- 
member, when you read the Scriptures, 
that they were written by Him who can- 
not lie. 

" His word is everlasting truth ; 
How pure is every page ! 
That holy book shall guide our youth, 
And well support our age." 

2. Read the. Scriptures with a high re- 
gard for their value; as if you really 
thought the Bible precious. For it is in- 
deed infinitely valuable, " more precious 
than rubies, more to be desired than gold, 
yea, than much fine gold." 

" This is the field where hidden lies 
The pearl of price unknown ; 
Those children are divinely wise 
Who make that pearl their own." 

A poor woman who could not read the 
Bible rose one hour earlier in the morn- 
ing, and sat up one hour later in the 
evening, that she might earn a penny 
more every day, and with this penny she 

16* 



186 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

hired a little boy to read a few chapters in 
the Bible to her every day. 

3. Read the Scriptures with an earn- 
est desire to understand ivhat you read ; 
that you may indeed be made wise to 
salvation. that you may imitate the 
example of Timothy, and know the Scrip- 
tures even from a child. What you do 
not understand ask some older person to 
explain to you. Remember what they 
tell you, and think of it when you read 
that part again. Read, that you may 
know more of God, of his nature and 
perfections ; that you may know more of 
yourselves as sinners, and of Christ as a 
Saviour and as the only refuge from the 
wrath to come. 

4. Read the Scriptures with diligence. 
Make it a rule with yourselves to read a 
part every day. Let no day pass without 
reading a chapter at least. Read with 
attention and care. Think upon what 
you read. Apply the word to yourselves. 
When you have read a chapter, endeavour 
to learn some lesson of instruction from it. 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 187 

and turn the words you have read into a 
prayer.* 

5. Read the Bible with reverence. Re- 
member it is the word of God. It is a 
holy book, a sacred treasure, and ought 
to be taken care of. Never let the Bible 
lie carelessly about, and when you read 
it at school, be very attentive, and let 
others see that you love the Bible. 

Lastly. Read the Scriptures with earn- 
est prayer to God for his Messing upon 
ivhat you read. Many persons complain 
that they do not understand the Bible. It 
is because they do not pray to God. 
What did David say ? "Open thou mine 
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things 
out of thy law." When you read the 
Scriptures, say, " Lord, teach me to know 

* We would here recommend to our readers a 
volume published by the American Sunday-school 
Union, entitled the " Scripture Guide." It is a very 
entertaining and instructive volume, and has a 
beautiful frontispiece. No child can read it atten- 
tively without obtaining a great amount of excellent 
information about the Bible. 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

and do thy will. Send thy Spirit to assist 
me while I read, and grant that what I 
read may make me wiser and better." 
Pray before you read, and while you read, 
and after you have read the Scriptures. 
This, my dear children, is the way to be 
truly wise indeed. 

"Lord, make me understand thy law, 
Show what my faults have been ; 
And from the gospel let me draw 
, Pardon for all my sins. 

"Here would I learn how Christ has died, 
To save my soul from hell ; 
Not all the books on earth beside, 
Such heavenly wonders tell." 

IV. I will proceed now, my dear child- 
ren, to tell you some important advantages 
which those enjoy who search the Scrip- 
tures. 

1. The Scriptures will impress your 
minds with solemn truths, as, (1.) That 
God is everywhere. He is in heaven, 
in hell and on earth. There is nothing 
hid from his eyes. "Thou God seest me,'' 
should be in your thoughts all the day. 



THE WAY TO BE WISE 189 

(2.) The evil of sin. The Scriptures de- 
scribe it to be that abominable thing which 
the Lord hateth, and which you ought to 
hate. (3.) God is of purer eyes than to 
behold evil ; the wicked shall not stand in 
his sight; he hateth all the workers of 
iniquity. (4.) They tell you that there is 
none good, no, not one, because all have 
sinned and come short of the glory of 
God. 

2. The Scriptures, applied by the Holy 
Spirit, will renew your hearts, or make you 
new creatures in Christ Jesus. Then you 
will see with new eyes and hear with new 
ears. Then, my dear young friends, shall 
you rejoice in the Lord, "being born 
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incor- 
ruptible, by the word of God, which liveth 
and abideth forever." 

3. The Scriptures will inform your 
minds. They contain the greatest treasure 
of mental improvement, and will tend to 
make you not only more pious and moral 
than all other books can, but likewise 
more rational and wise. " The law of the 



190 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the 
testimony of tiie Lord is sure, making 
wise the simple : the statutes of the Lord 
are right, rejoicing the heart : the com- 
mandments of the Lord are pure, en- 
lightening the eyes." By reading the 
Scriptures with care and attention, you 
will indeed have "more understanding 
than all your teachers." 

4. The Scriptures will regulate your 
conduct. " The word of God will be as a 
lamp unto your feet, as a hght unto your 
path." " Wherewithal shall a young man 
cleanse his way ?" Attend to the answer. 
" By taking heed thereunto, according to 
thy word." " Keep thy heart with all 
diligence, for out of it are the issues of 
life." " Watch and pray, lest ye enter 
into temptation." "Trust in the Lord 
with all thine heart, and lean not to thine 
own understanding." " In all thy ways 
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy 
paths." 

5. The Scriptures will guide your actions. 
They tell you what is displeasing to God : 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 191 

that there are six things which the Lord 
hateth ; yea, seven which are an abomina- 
tion unto him : (1.) A proud look; (2.) A 
lying tongue ; and, (3.) Hands that shed 
innocent blood ; (4.) A heart that deviseth 
wicked imaginations; (5.) Feet that be 
swift in running to mischief; (6.) A false 
witness, that speaketh lies ; and, (7.) He 
that soweth discord among brethren. My 
dear young friends, take notice of these 
seven things, and endeavour to avoid 
them, 

6. The Scriptures will direct you in the 
choice of your companions. " My son, if 
sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 
Enter not into the path of the wicked, go 
not in the way of evil men, avoid it, pass 
not by it, turn from it and pass away. 
For they sleep not, except they have done 
mischief, and their sleep is taken away 
unless they have caused some to fall. For 
they eat the bread of wickedness and 
drink the wine of violence. But the path 
of the just is as the shining light, that 
shineth more and more, unto the perfect 



192 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 

day." Thus, the Scriptures will preserve . 
you from sin, increase your happiness in 
this life, and set before you an open door, 
and direct you to endless happiness beyond 
the sky. To conclude : 

7. The Scriptures will powerfully sup- 
port you at the hour of death. Remem- 
ber, it is Jesus who gives the command, 
Search the Scriptures. 

" Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are ; 
While on his breast you lean your head, 
And breathe your life out sweetly there." 

Though you walk through the valley 
of the shadow of death, you shall fear no 
evil, for God will be with you. The 
Scriptures tell you, that " the wages of sin 
is death ;" but in the same verse you read, 
that "the gift of God is eternal life, 
through Jesus Christ." This is what the 
Bible says. Now then, my dear children, 
obey the voice of Jesus. Search the 
Scriptures, for this is the only way to be 
truly wise. 



THE WAY TO BE WISE. 193 

" O may I love my Bible more, 
And take a fresh delight, 
By day to read those wonders o'er, 
And meditate by night." 



" This is a precious book indeed ! 
Happy the child that loves to read ! 
'Tis God's own word, which he has given 
To show our souls the way to heaven ! 

*' It tells us how the world was made ! 
And how good men the Lord obeyed : 
Here his commands are written, too. 
To teach us what we ought to do, 

" It bids us all from sin to fly. 
Because our souls can never die : 
It points to heaven where angels dwell ; 
And warns us to escape from hell. 

" But, what is more than all beside, 
The Bible tells us, Jesus died ! 
This is its best, its chief intent, 
To lead poor sinners to repent. 

*' Be thankful, children, that you may 
Read this good Bible every day : 
'Tis God's own word, which he has given 
To show your souls the way to heaven." 

17 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 195 



LECTURE IX. 

Danger of Bad Company. 

Prov. i. 10. — "il/y son^ if sinners entice thee^ consent 

thou noty 

My dear young friends, 

Suppose a person was to come to me, 
and say, "What do you think of such a 
little boy, or such a Uttle girl?" I would 
directly ask, who were your companions ; 
and from that I should be able to judge 
of your character and tell what kind of 
children you were. 

There is an old proverb, and it is a very 
true one, "A man is known by the com- 
pany he keeps." Bad companions will 
make you, in time, as bad as they are. 
Attachments are formed and intimate com- 
panions are chosen at a very early age. 
We find children four or five years old 
have their little favourites, either at school, 



196 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

or in the neighbourhood, where they dwell. 
Boys have formed a friendship, at school, 
which has lasted after they have grown 
up, and continued till death (which sepa- 
rates dearest friends) has parted them 
asunder in the years of manhood or old 
age. 

Equally strong, if not more so, is the 
intimacy formed between girls. They 
have their favourites among their school- 
fellows and playmates, without whom they 
cannot go to or from school; in whose 
company they greatly delight, and without 
whom they cannot go to any place of in- 
struction, or amusement. Even the name 
of a dear companion sounds delightfully, 
and the thought of a separation causes 
tears and sorrow. 

Some intimacies formed in youth have 
been more strongly united by friendship 
than by the ties of natural affection. Some 
of you would do more for a particular 
friend or companion, than you would even 
for your brother or sister. If Solomon 
was here, I think he would say to you in 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 197 

the words of the text, " My son, if sinners 
entice thee, consent thou not." 

I. I wish you to take notice of Solo- 
mon's parental affection for the young. 
" My son." Boys ! do you hear how 
Solomon speaks to you ? Listen to him, 
for he was the wisest man that ever lived 
on earth. "My son" is an expression 
which is often made use of by Solomon in 
the book of Proverbs ; and by it, he does 
not mean boys only, but all those who are 
young in years and under the authority 
of their parents. 

Let us take some notice of these two 
little words. " My son." There is some- 
thing very kind and aftectionate in them. 
Hear, my dear young friends. " My sons 
and daughters," says the wisest of men, 
" attend to one who has the same regard 
for you as a parent ; one who wishes to 
promote your present and eternal happi- 
ness. My sans and daughters, attend to 
me, for I assure you that I take a great 
interest in your welfare. I am very much 
concerned for the salvation of your souls. 

17* 



198 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

* My heart's desire and prayer to God for 
you is, that you may be saved.' I have 
been young myself. I know the tempta- 
tions to which the young are exposed, and 
the snares into which you are most Hkely 
to fall. I feel for the dangerous condition 
in which you are. The paths you walk 
in are full of traps and snares. Among 
the various instruments which Satan em- 
ploys for the ruin of your characters, 
your bodies, and your souls, there are 
none more dangerous, or more successful, 
than bad companions." Listen therefore 
to the advice of Solomon, and regard the 
caution which he gives you, with atten- 
tion. 

II. Hear, my young friends, and attend 
to Solomon's general character of bad 
companions. He calls them sinners. 
You often read and hear this word, sin- 
ner; but few, if any, of you have con- 
sidered, or know what it means. All 
children are sinners, by nature ; but there 
are some children who are, by practice, 
greater sinners than others ; I mean, some 



DANGER OP BAD COMPANY. 199 

children are worse than others in the sight 
of God and man. A sinful child is one 
whose heart is wicked, whose actions are 
sinful, whose words are idle and fihhy, 
whose thoughts and imaginations are 
continually evil. Wicked children, such 
as Solomon calls sinners, have no fear of 
God before their eyes, and no love to Jesus 
in their hearts. They will destroy much 
good. 

Wicked children laugh at every thing 
that is serious and awful, and have no 
delight in any thing that is good. Sinful 
children are disobedient to their parents ; 
for those children who do not obey God's 
commands will not pay any regard to the 
authority of man. Sinful children never 
pray ; they know not how to pray, and 
they cannot bear the Bible, because it is a 
good book. It describes their characters 
and condemns their conduct. Wicked 
children, who are called sinners, do not 
think it any harm to lie, to swear, to steal, 
to cheat, or break the Sabbath. They 
laugh at the most sinful and daring ac- 



200 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

tions, and think that they deserve to be 
commended for them, and thus glory in 
their shame. Wicked children are called 
fools by Solomon ; he says they make a 
mock at sin, and that a companion of fools 
shall be destroyed. 

Sinners (remember, when I say sinners, 
I mean wicked children) are idolaters. 
They adore Satan, the god of this world, 
though he appears in the shape of a roar- 
ing lion. They blaspheme and take the 
name of the Lord in vain. They are 
thieves, and rob God of the honour which 
is due to him as their Creator ; and they 
will rob you of your peace and happiness 
in this world and of eternal joy in the 
world to come. 

Sinners are liars. They tell you that 
there is more pleasure and happiness in 
the ways of sin than there is in the ways 
of religion. They are Sabbath-breakers ; 
and I may venture to say, that sinners 
commit more sin and do more mischief on 
that day than on any other. 

Sinners, or wicked children, are mur- 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 201 

derers : they commit the worst of murders, 
by their enticements and allurements ; by 
their promises and pretended enjoyments ; 
by their conduct and example. By sh), 
they crucify the Saviour, they murder their 
time, waste their money, grieve their 
friends, break the hearts of their parents, 
and thus hasten their death. But the 
most awful murder of all is, the ruin of 
their own souls and the souls of their com- 
panions. I do not mean that they kill the 
soul, but they are the means of its eternal 
misery. They are double murderers. 

But, to finish the character of bad com- 
panions, whom Solomon calls sinners in 
the text, I will remark once more, they are 
the devil's favourites. Wicked children 
are among the number of Satan's best 
friends ; and if there is any place in hell 
more miserable than another, it will be 
reserved for these favourites, who will 
receive the wages of sin from Satan their 
master, and he will pay them to the utter- 
most. Then, those who have tempted or 
enticed others into sin will have their 



202 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

misery aggravated and increased, by the 
curses and bitter reproaches of those whom 
they have deceived by their conduct and 
example. We will now attend, — 

III. To Solomon's striking account of 
the dangers to which young persons are 
exposed, from their snares. 0, how art- 
ful wicked children are ! Solomon tells 
you how they act, and the manner in 
which they endeavour to draw others into 
sin. They do not compel or force you to 
go with them, but they entice, they allure 
and draw you into their company by fair 
promises. Sinners love company in sin. 
I will endeavour to tell you how they 
entice. 

1. They use enticing words. They tell 
you of the pleasures they enjoy ; of the 
happy seasons which they have spent in 
such and such places, with such and such 
children, or young persons, and they pro- 
mise you the same enjoyments. But their 
promises are vain. While they tell you 
of the pretended joys and imaginary 
pleasures, they do not tell you of the 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 203 

stings which conscience gives, after their 
evening's entertainment or their mid- 
night frolic. They tell you it is pleasant 
to enjoy a sail on the water, or a ride into 
the country, or a walk in the fields on a 
fine Sabbath-day ; but they forget the an- 
ger of that God who has commanded you 
to " remember the Sabbath-day to keep 
it holy." They tell you there is no harm 
in robbing an orchard, or staying out a lit- 
tle later than you ought on a fine summer 
evening. They laugh at your objections, 
and persuade you to excuse yourselves by 
telling a lie. They seem to be always 
merry and always happy. But Solomon 
says, that even in laughter the heart is 
sorrowful, and that the end of such mirth 
is heaviness. 

2. They make use of enticing actions. 
A wink with the eye ; a beck with the 
hand ; a sign with the finger, have often 
enticed a child to mischief and sin, and 
been the cause of shame and sorrow. A 
forcible pull by the hand or the arm has 
often led, or I might say forced, one from 



204 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

the way that is right into the way of evil. 
You have been drawn in by bad com- 
pany before you were aware of the con- 
sequences. A joke may be carried too 
far, and a froHc may lead to shame, to 
fines, to imprisonment and death. 

3. By enticing looks. By a look many 
persons understand much, and looks have 
done much mischief where words could 
not be employed. 

4. You may be enticed by your school- 
fellows, your playmates, your brothers 
and sisters. Sometimes by your parents 
too, for they may be so ungodly as to 
promise you a reward for doing that 
which is not right in the sight of the Lord. 
A gentleman (I ought to say a sinner or 
wicked man") used to teach a child to 
swear, and reward him with a penny. 
The sound of a vioUn or fiddle and a 
quick tune have enticed many into bad 
company, and ruined them both body and 
soul. A dancing young woman was the 
cause of the death of John the Baptist. 
That was dear-bought pleasure which 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 205 

Herod enjoyed, when he was obUged to 
give the head of a holy man for his en- 
joyment. 

IV. Let us attend to Solomon's warn- 
ing, which is given to all, " Consent thou 
not." And here I shall show you your 
danger, and then give you the caution. 

1. There is great danger in being a com- 
panion of sinners. Bad companions will 
make you less afraid of sin. When you 
hear them swear, as if there was no God 
to punish them, and lie, as if there was 
no hell to torment them : when you see 
them live as if there was no other world 
but this, as if there was no happiness to 
obtain and no misery to avoid; it will 
make you think very lightly of sin, and 
in time you will love to sin as much as 
your companions. You will think as 
they think, say as they say, and do as 
they do. Bad companions will teach you 
to laugh at religion, to despise good ad- 
vice, and treat those children who love 
their Maker with scorn and contempt. 
Bad companions will teach you to forget 

18 



206 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

the one thing needful, and to put off the 
great concerns of eternity to a bed of sick- 
ness or a dying hour, till it is too late, and 
you will be led to exclaim, with extreme 
anguish of soul, " The harvest is past, the 
summer is ended, and I am not saved V 
Bad companions will teach you to desire 
sinful pleasures and entice you to use sin- 
ful ways in order to obtain them. 

Another evil is, that you will not only 
be enticed to commit sin, but be tempted 
to excel in it ; to take the lead in every 
thing that is sinful and wicked. To keep 
company with sinners will harden your 
hearts, corrupt your principles, curse your 
earthly blessings, sear your consciences, 
destroy your spiritual pleasures, injure 
your character, hasten your death, deprive 
you of God's favour, ruin your souls, and 
plunge you at last into eternal misery. 

2. "Consent thou not." Keep no com- 
pany with sinners; go not with them; 
enter not into the path of the wicked, and 
go not in the way of evil men ; avoid it, 
pass not by it, turn from it and pass away. 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 207 

The wicked do not live out half their days. 
0, my dear young friends, say to all evil 
companions — 

"No longer will I ask your love, 
Or seek your friendship more; 
The happiness that I approve 
Lies not within your power. 

" In vain your words accost my ear, 
And tempt my heart anew ; 
I cannot buy your bliss so dear, 
Nor part with heaven for you." 

The theatre will entice you by saying, 
" Come, and pay me a visit, and you shall 
have the most exquisite pleasure." Con- 
sent thou not. 

Of all the fatal methods made use of by 
the enemies of God and religion, to ruin 
the morals of the young, none are more 
fatal, none more mischievous than bad 
books. A bad example, though it is pro- 
ductive of great evils, extends only to 
those who are near enough to observe it, 
and live within the reach of its baneful 
influence ; but a wicked book will poison 
the mind, and continue to destroy the 



208 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

souls of the young, when the author hes 
silent in the dust. It is impossible to tell 
the bounds of its fatal effects, particularly 
if it is entertaining and amusing. It is 
then like poison thrown into a river ; it is 
carried to the utmost part of the world ; 
it silently enters the dwelling of the coun- 
tryman, finds its way to the work-shop 
and factory, and is destructive to all ages, 
ranks and conditions of men, but more 
particularly to the young and thoughtless. 
To them its breath is poison and its touch 
death. 

The novel will say to you, " Come, and 
spend an hour or two with me and my 
dear friend, Romance. You will be 
highly entertained." Whatever pleasure 
or entertainment such books may afford 
you, remember they are forbidden by 
God. Therefore, consent thou not. 

The song-book will say to you, " Make 
choice of the prettiest of my relations you 
can find. I will amply reward you, if 
you commit me to memory. I shall give 
you pleasure, and teach you a lively and 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 209 

beautiful tune into the bargain.'^ First 
inquire if this was Mary's choice, if this 
was that good part which could not be 
taken away? If it was not, then be 
warned ; consent thou not. 

If wicked children say to you, " Your 
parents sell such and such things ; I wish 
you would get me some ; you can have 
plenty, but I cannot obtain any of these 
things without their knowing it;" my 
dear child, consent thou not. For whoso 
robbeth father or mother, and saith it 
is no transgression, the same is a compa- 
nion of the destroyer. 

If your companions say, " Do not go to 
school, but go with us to such a place, 
where we shall have this and that and 
other good things;" consent thou not; for 
though your sin may not be known now, 
yet you may "be sure it will find you out." 

V. I will endeavour to give you a few 
directions respecting the choice of your 
companions. See that their conduct is 
good. Say as David did, " I am a com- 
panion of them that fear thee." Let 

18* 



210 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

your companions be such as love God. 
For those whom God loves we ought to 
love. Let them be such little children as 
love Jesus. If Jesus is their Friend, or 
they know him as such, they will be your 
best friends. Let them be such as love 
prayer, so that when you go to visit 
them, or they come to visit you, you may 
be able to go to your heavenly Father 
and join together in prayer to him for his 
blessing on you both. There was a little 
girl who used to pray with her playmates 
whenever they came to see her. So 
should you. Let your companions be 
such as love the Bible. When you are 
together read the Bible ; and tell one an- 
other what you think of what you read 
and hear from the Bible. Let your com- 
panions be such as are obedient to their 
parents and kind to their brothers and 
sisters. If they are disobedient and un- 
kind, they will lead you to be so too. 
You will not gain any thing that is good 
from them. Let them be industrious 
children. Never keep company with 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 211 

idle children ; for they are children who 
are ripe for every mischief; they are at 
every one's beck and call, and are in a 
fair way to that which is worse than 
nothing. Let your companions be such 
as love their school and their books ; for if 
they are idle at school, and you sit near 
them, or choose them for your compa- 
nions when school is over, they will make 
you as bad as themselves. Never go 
with those children who play truant. 
Let your companions be sensible child- 
ren ; then you will be likely to learn wis- 
dom from them. These are the compa- 
nions that will do you good and be useful 
to you. From them you will receive in- 
struction, and to their advice you ought 
to attend. 

" You should be walking with the wise^ 
That wiser you may grow." 

Choose those children for your com- 
panions who will stand by you in the 
time of danger : not those children who 
come round you only when you have 
something to give them. You will have 



212 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

many companions who will seek to be 
friends with you only for what they can 
get. Avoid them ; for when you need their 
friendship most, they will be sure to leave 
you to help yourself as well as you can. 
"A friend in need is a friend indeed." 

Trust none of your friends with a secret 
that would hurt your character in the 
sight of others ; because the first time you 
displease them, they will reveal all your 
secrets out of revenge. When such child- 
ren have once abused the confidence that 
you put in them, take heed of trusting 
them again ; they are false friends. 

Never be angry with your companions 
without a real cause. Always examine 
into the matter. Do not go by what you 
hear, nor yet by what you see, at all 
times. 

Keep no company with proud children ; 
but let humble and meek children be your 
companions ; for they will not be so easily 
offended, nor wilfully hurt nor offend you. 

Keep not company with cross and ill- 
natured children J for you will, at one 



DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 213 

time or another, feel the effects of their 
temper. 

When your companions fall out, or 
quarrel with each other, do what you can 
to make peace. Never strive to increase 
anger already kindled, and so become 
partners in guilt. 

But, my young friends, recollect that 
there is one Friend, whose friendship you 
ought to seek above that of every earthly 
companion. He is one who has done 
more for you than the dearest earthly 
friend can ever do ; for his love and 
friendship were so great, that he died for 
you that you might be happy. He will 
be your Friend when all others forsake 
you ; in life and death and throughout 
eternity. Remember that he is one that 
loveth at all times, and sticketh closer than 
a brother. 

Now, my dear young friends, pray that 
God would guide you in the choice of 
your companions, and bless you with 
serious and sincere friends. . 



214 DANGER OF BAD COMPANY. 

" Why should I join with those in play 
In whom I've no delight, 
"Who curse and swear, but never pray, 
Who call ill names and fight? 

" I hate to hear a wanton song, 
The words offend my ears ; 
I would not dare defile my tongue 
With language such as theirs. 

" Away from fools I'll turn mine eyes, 
Nor with the scoffers go ; 
I would be walking with the wise. 
That wiser I may grow. 

" From one rude boy that's used to mock, 
They learn the wicked jest : 
One sickly sheep infects the flock. 
And poisons all the rest. 

" My God, I hate to walk or dwell 
With sinful children here ; 
Then let me not be sent to hell. 
Where none but sinners are." 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 215 



LECTURE X. 

Obedience to Parents. 

Col. iii. 20. — " Children, obey your parents in all 
things ; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord^ 

Mr DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, 

I CANNOT recommend this highly im- 
portant subject to you too soon. There is 
a natural disposition in children to think, 
to speak and to act against the authority 
of their parents. And I fear that many 
of you are not quite free from this fault. 
Now give me your attention. " Hearken 
to thy father which begat thee, and despise 
not thy mother when she is old." 

I will tell you a story which I have 
read. Abraham Crost had an only son. 
He gave him, when he married, all the 
little property he had saved by many years 
hard labour, on one condition ; that was, 
that the son should take care of the father, 



216 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

and maintain him when he was not able 
to work. By means of the father's kind- 
ness, the son was enabled to buy a house, 
and a horse and cart, and a piece of ground 
for a garden. The poor old man worked 
early and late for his son, because he 
loved him. He laboured beyond his 
strength, and at last he caught a violent 
cold and was not able to work any longer. 
When he could work no more, the son was 
obliged to hire a man to do his father's 
work. Both the son and his wife behaved 
very unkindly to the poor old man ; but 
little Tommy, his grandson, was so dutiful 
and kind, that he comforted his grand- 
father greatly in his affliction. At last, 
the old man was positively told that he 
must go to the poor-house, for they had 
something else to do besides nursing him. 
Shocked at this unfeeling behaviour, he 
rose from his chair in the chimney corner, 
and with great difficulty crept away to a 
little out-house in the garden, where a 
violent fit of coughing seized him, and he 
was ready to die. Little Tommy, who 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 217 

heard what his father said, followed his 
grandfather, who, in the anguish of his 
mind, desired him to go and fetch the rug 
from his bed, that he might wrap it round 
him, and sit in the highway and beg. 
Little Tommy immediately burst into 
tears, but thinking it would be undutiful 
to refuse, he ran into the house. His 
father met him, and seeing him in tears, 
inquired where he was going and what 
was the matter. " I am going," said the 
child, " for the rug from my grandfather's 
bed, that he may wrap it round him and 
go a begging.'' 

" Let him go," said the unfeehng son ; 
"who can bear with his humours?" 

" I will go," cried Tommy, and immedi- 
ately brought the rug, which he carried to 
his father, saying, " Pray, father, cut it in 
two ; half of it will be large enough for 
grandfather, and perhaps you may want 
the other half, when I am grown a man, 
and turn you out of doors." 

Struck with these words, he began to 
reflect on his conduct, and to consider 

19 



218 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

what he should feel at receiving such 
base treatment from his own son. He 
hastened to his father and begged his 
forgiveness, promising not only to treat 
him with dutiful respect, but to insist on 
his wife's doing the same. Abraham 
readily forgave his son, and returned with 
him into the house, but very soon after 
closed his eyes in death. 

"Some children, cruel and unkind, 
To parents disobedient prove ; 
How can such children hope to see 
That God who is the God of level" 

I. I shall endeavour to explain the 
duty ; that is, show what is meant by 
obedience. The word ohey^ or obedience, 
means a reverence for the person of your 
parents and attention to their counsel and 
advice ; an acknowledgment of their su- 
periority, or right to govern, and likewise 
quiet submission to their authority and 
rebuke. 

First, I will endeavour to inform you 
what it is to obey your parents. A civil, 
obliging and modest behaviour is the 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 219 

duty of all of you. It is expected from 
you. But the Lord is now instructing 
you, in the text, how to behave at home. 
Consider therefore who you are taught to 
obey — your parents, both father and mo- 
ther; both of them are to be obeyed in 
the same manner and degree, and you 
are to love them as your parents. 

1. It requires you to treat the persons 
and characters of your parents with the 
greatest respect. They are your superiors, 
your greatest earthly friends and benefac- 
tors. It is by no means allowable, my 
dear young friends, for you to make the 
faults of your parents the subject of con- 
versation. Do not be heard to say, at 
any time, that they are guilty of this or 
that ; that you do not approve of this or 
that. No, rather hide their faults, and 
conceal them from the knowledge of 
others. How did the sons of Noah be- 
have ? Two of them conducted them- 
selves with respect towards their father, 
and received the blessing of God ; while 
the other, for making sport of the fault 



220 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

of his parent, brought down upon his 
head the heavy displeasure of an angry 
God. 

2. To obey your parents is to attend to 
their instruction and advice. Remember 
that you know but Httle. You are Uable 
to be mistaken. They have been more 
years in the world than you, therefore 
they must know more and better than 
you. Children are but of yesterday, and 
know nothing, compared with what they 
ought to know, and what they will know 
if their Uves are spared. It is your duty 
to ask of those Vv^ho can answer your 
inquiries, and to obtain all the informa- 
tion you can from those who can instruct 
you. Ask your parents how you ought 
to conduct yourselves in this world, and 
how you should act so as to be happy in 
the life to come. Never take one import- 
ant step in life, without first consulting 
your parents and friends and obtaining 
their approbation. "My son, hear the 
instructions of thy father, and forsake not 
the law of thy mother ; for they shall be 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 221 

an ornament of grace unto thy head, and 
as a chain of gold about thy neck." 

3. To obey your parents is to observe 
and do all their commands; to come when 
they call you ; to do as they bid you ; not 
to suffer them to call two or three times 
before you give them an answer. It is 
to go where they send you, and nowhere 
else; and not to stop and play by the way 
as you go. What they tell you not to do, 
you must also be careful to avoid. Some 
parents, instead of commanding and in- 
sisting upon the exact obedience of their 
children with the greatest severity, rather 
choose to make use of entreaty and per- 
suasion, as being more mild than the 
other. Some children are deaf to the 
kindest request and the tenderest persua- 
sion ; and their perverse tempers are not 
softened, nor will their stubborn disposi- 
tions bend to the authority of a parent, 
however kind and good. And here the 
rod of correction will be necessary. " He 
that spareth the rod hateth his child ; but 
he that loveth him chastiseth him be- 

19* 



222 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

times. Foolishness is bound up in the 
heart of a child, but the rod of correction 
will drive it from him. Thou shalt beat 
him," says Solomon, " with a rod, and shalt 
save his soul from hell." A child should 
not be corrected by a parent who is in a 
passion. Strive first to make him sensible 
of his fault, and show him that he deserves 
correction, and then you will do it with 
justice and judgment. 

4. But obedience to parents includes 
submission to their authority ; that is, an 
acknowledgment of the right they have 
in you and the power they have over 
you. This you must attend to from a 
sense of duty to your parents and of 
obedience to God. Be not wise in your 
own eyes, but be humble and submissive, 
and kind and teachable. Do not murmur 
at their correction, or turn away from 
their reproof 

•'Their mild correction of each fault, 
Their kind instructions and the rod, 
Are all designed, in love, to bring 
Your wandering spirits back to God." 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 223 

They see your faults, and, while they 
correct you, they pity you. You know 
what you have to do. Then do it with a 
cheerful mind, and not with a downcast look 
and pouting lip, a murmuring word and 
slow and unwilling feet. Remember, there 
are disobedient actions as well as disobe- 
dient words. "Actions speak louder than 
words." Remember, this is not pleasing 
to God. 

But I must tell you, secondly, how far 
this duty extends. The text says, " Obey 
your parents in all things;" not in one 
thing, but in every thing. Some may 
think this hard to be performed. Re- 
member, it is God who speaks the words. 
He knows what you ought to do, and 
Avhat you can do, and what you really 
do. It is required of you to obey your 
father and mother in all things ; every 
thing that is just and reasonable ; every 
thing that is according to the will of God 
and his holy commands : and where is 
the parent that will command any thing 
to the contrary ? If they command you 



224 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

to sin, then you may refuse : if they com- 
mand you to lie, to steal, to curse, to 
swear, to break the Sabbath and neglect 
the Bible, you may refuse to obey them, 
because their commands are contrary to 
the commands of God. Nor should any 
contempt or severity be able to force you 
to obey the will of your earthly parent, 
in opposition to the will of your heavenly 
Father. 

Mind all that your parents tell you 
about rising in the morning; about be- 
ginning the day in prayer to God ; about 
your behaviour to your brothers and sis- 
ters ; about your conduct at school ; about 
companions and amusements ; about your 
duty to God and man. Let the will and 
desires of your parents form your man- 
ners and guide your conduct. Let me 
remind you, my young friends, of being 
equally attentive and obliging in obeying 
your mother as well as your father, for 
the Scriptures make no difference between 
them. Hear how Solomon speaks of this 
duty, and observe the advantages of it : 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 225 

" Keep thy father's commandment, and 
forsake not the law of thy mother ; bind 
them continually upon thy heart, and tie 
them about thy neck. When thou goest, 
it shall lead thee : when thou sleepest, it 
shall keep thee : when thou awakest, it 
shall talk with thee." Base, indeed, must 
that child be that can impose upon the 
weakness, despise the tenderness, set at 
naught the counsel, injure the feelings 
and defy the mild authority of a mother ; 
a mother, who deserves all the love and 
gratitude a child can give. This precept 
is equally binding upon those who have 
left the house of their parents as upon 
those children who are still under their 
care and protection. 

II. I will endeavour to tell you, my 
dear children, why you should obey your 
parents. 

1. Because it is your duty. The words 
are spoken to children under ten, twelve, 
or fourteen years of age ; though others 
are not excluded. What condescension 
it is in the Lord to notice you that are so 



226 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

young in life ! My dear young friends, 
the Lord knows that you have bad hearts. 
He knows that you are thoughtless, forget- 
ful, ungrateful, undutiful and rebellious. 
On this account he speaks to you while 
young. As soon as you are able to read 
this verse, you are told that you are to obey 
your parents in all things. Christ likewise 
speaks to you kindly and for your good. 
The Lord speaks to you as your mother, 
your friend and your Saviour. An amia- 
ble child was lamenting, with the most 
sincere grief, the death of an affectionate 
I)arent. His companions endeavoured to 
console him by the reflection that he had 
behaved to his departed parent with duty, 
tenderness and respect. " So I thought," 
replied the child, " while my parent was 
living, but now I recollect, with pain and 
sorrow, many instances of disobedience 
and neglect, for which, alas ! it is too late 
to make atonement.'* 

2. Because you are under great obliga- 
tions to your parents. If you were to be 
shut out of doors, to provide for your- 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 227 

selves, could you do it? Who would 
care for you like your parents ? 

"Beasts that can graze around the field, 
Birds that can take the wing and fly ; 
Yea, every insect God hath made 

Could better help themselves than I." 

Who would be so anxious for your 
welfare? Did they not help you when 
you could not help yourselves ? Has not 
your mother gazed upon you with delight? 
Has she not pressed you to her bosom? 
Has not that bosom afforded a refuge 
from fear, a repose from weariness, a sup- 
ply for your returning wants, a world of 
infantile enjoyments? How many rest- 
less hours you have caused her; to be 
succeeded by wearisome days of attention 
and labour! Have not your parents often 
wept over you when they saw you in 
pain and were not able to relieve you ? 
They have left no means untried to give 
you ease. Hour after hour, day after 
day, week after week, month after month 
have they sat by your bed-side in the 
time of affliction and watched you when 



228 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

asleep. They have prayed for you when 
sick; supported you when unable to 
walk; carried you in their arms; rested 
you on their knees ; listened to your com- 
plaints and have endeavoured to remove 
them ; wiped away your tears ; complied 
with your desires; purchased toys and 
books for your instruction and entertain- 
ment ; clothed, fed and protected you in 
every danger, and, perhaps, have saved 
your lives. 

They give you the opportunity of ob- 
taining useful knowledge ; neglect it not 
by your carelessness, idleness and inat- 
teniion when at school. All this your 
parents have done, and much more! 
Then how can you be undutiful and 
disobedient? Are you not under great 
obligations to your parents? Can you 
ever repay them for their kindness? 
Yes, by your duty and affection ; by your 
attention and obedience you can do much. 
You can add to their comforts, sweeten 
their cares, brighten their sorrows, share 
their griefs, watch them on a bed of sick- 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 229 

ness, render them comfortable and happy 
in their last days, and then, with affection 
and pain, close their eyes in death. 

3. Because it is the command of God, 
" Honour thy father and thy mother, that 
thy days may be long in the land which 
the Lord thy God giveth thee." Honour 
means the continual exercise of fear and 
love. This precept requires not only that 
we should show our parents respect and 
deference, but likewise that we should 
assist and relieve them, and perform such 
services for them as they may stand in 
need of We read of a majestic, holy 
God, whom angels and archangels adore, 
condescending to direct children how they 
should conduct themselves towards their 
parents. Will any child now in the pre- 
sence of God presume to neglect the fifth 
commandment ? Will you not rather say, 
my dear children, that it is the express 
command of your Master, your Redeemer, 
your Sanctifier, your Judge ? The cha- 
racter of obedient children goes before 
them wherever they go, and will secure 

20 



230 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

them the love and confidence of the wise 
and good. How pleasant to think that 
you never wilfully caused your parents' 
eyes to be filled with tears of anguish, 
their cheeks to blush with shame, or their 
bosoms to be pained with an uneasy 
thought. " Ye shall fear every man his 
mother and his father ; for I am the Lord 
your God." 

III. I will endeavour to encourage you 
in the performance of this important duty. 

1. By setting before you some examples 
from the Scriptures. How submissive 
was Isaac to the authority of Abraham, 
his father, when he was about to offer 
him to God as a sacrifice, on the mount 
Moriah ! How great was the affection 
of Joseph for his father, when he met him 
at Goshen, and he fell on his neck and wept 
on his neck a good while ! How different 
was the conduct of the rest of Jacob's 
sons ! David, while he suffered so much 
from the envy and cruelty of Saul, dis- 
covered great tenderness towards his pa- 
rents. He presented an address to the 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 231 

king of Moab to let his father and mother 
reside at Mizpeh till he knew what God 
would do for him. Imitate the respect 
of Solomon for his mother ; for we read 
that, when she came to speak to him, he 
rose up to meet her, and bowed himself 
before her, and sat down on his throne, 
and caused a seat to be set for his mother, 
and she sat on his right hand. But there 
was one great example more which you 
ought all to follow; I mean the Lord Jesus. 
He was subject to the authority of his pa- 
rents; and when he was dying on the 
cross he did not forget his mother, but 
commended her to the particular care and 
regard of John, the beloved disciple. 

"Jesus, who reigns above the sky, 
And keeps the world in awe, 
Was once a child as young as I, 
And kept his Father's law. 

"At twelve years old he talked with mer 
(The Jews all wondering stand,) 
Yet he obeyed his mother then, 
And came at her command." 

2. By the promises which God hath 



232 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

made to obedient children. " Honour thy 
father and thy mother, (this is called, by 
the apostle, the first command with pro- 
mise,) that it may be well with thee, and 
that thou mayest live long on the earth. 
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, 
for this is right. Children, obey your 
parents in all things, for this is well pleas- 
ing unto the Lord ;" not only pleasing, 
but well pleasing unto the Lord. 

3. You here read that you will enjoy 
the favour and approbation of God, if you 
obey your parents. Can you think of any 
thing more delightful, more honourable, 
than to do that which is pleasing unto the 
Lord ? This should stir you up to per- 
form it. It is he that commands it, and 
that looks down from heaven to see how 
you observe it. He sees when you obey 
and when you do not. He knows all 
your private ways and secret thoughts. 
If you sincerely obey your parents in all 
things, the Lord is pleased, well pleased 
Avith your conduct ; and he will bless you 
with many favours ; you shall be com- 



OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 233 

fortable and happy in this world, and 
eternally happy in the world to come. 

*' For those who worship God, and give 
Their parents honour due, 
Here on this earth they long shall live, 
And live hereafter too." 

I shall now conclude, by mentioning 
one of the most awful threatenings of God 
against disobedient children. " The eye 
that mocketh at his father, and despiseth 
to obey his mother, the ravens of the 
valley shall pick it out, and the young 
eagles shall eat it." Compare this threat- 
ening with what you have heard, with the 
happiness promised to obedient children. 
Say, would you part with the love of your 
parents, and the favour of God, for this 
calamity ? 

ye disobedient children, repent of 
your past conduct. Do not add one pain 
more to those you have already given 
your dear parents. Do not provoke God 
any longer. Your parents are willing to 
forgive you j your heavenly Father is also 

20'' 



234 OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

willing to forgive you. Let every little 
child say with me : 

"0, holy Saviour, may that day 
Of future love and grace appear, 
In which my parents both shall reap 
The harvest of their faithful care." 



" Let children that would fear the Lord 
Hear what their teachers say; 
With reverence meet their parents' word, 
And with delight obey. 

" Have you not heard what dreadful plagues 
Are threatened, by the Lord, 
To him that breaks his father's law, 
Or mocks his mother's word 1 

"What heavy guilt upon him lies! 
How cursed is his name ! 
The ravens shall pick out his eyes. 
And eagfles eat the same. 

"For those that worship God, and give 
Their parents honour due. 
Here on this earth they long shall live, 
And live hereafter too." 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 235 



LECTURE XI. 

Duties of the School. 

Prov. XX. 1 1 . — " Even a child is known by his doings, 
whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.''^ 

Mr DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, 

A GOOD education is one of the greatest 
advantages which the young can possess. 
It is better tiian a fortune. Tiiere are 
many children who are destitute of this 
great blessing. Ignorance is the parent 
of many vices ; for those who know not 
how to read generally spend their leisure 
hours at a tavern^ or at the gaming-table. 
Many improvements have been made in 
the methods of instruction, and many 
more may still be made. Teachers of 
youth ought to be esteemed among the 
most valuable and useful members of 
society, especially if they are pious per- 
sons } for they will not only care for the 



236 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

morals, but the souls of those children 
committed to their care. Teachers of 
youth may be as useful as ministers of the 
gospel. Their means are extensive. It 
is a delightful work, when little ones are 
taught to know their letters and to love 
Jesus at the same time. There are many 
schools of a charitable kind, supported by 
the benevolence of generous hearts, or by 
the contributions of the liberal friends of 
the rising generation. A variety of re- 
markable circumstances have laid the 
foundations of some of these schools. 
There is, at Bristol, in England, a chari- 
table institution called "Colston's School," 
from the name of its founder ; the scholars 
wear on their breast the figure of a dolphin 
in brass, the reason of which is as fol- 
lows : — Mr. Colston, a rich West Indian 
merchant, was going to England, his native 
country, in a ship which contained all his 
treasure. She sprang aleak, and after 
having pumped for a long time, day and 
night, the people on board were expecting 
every moment that the ship would sink. 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 237 

All at once, to their great astonishment, 
the leak was stopped. On examination, 
it was fomid, that a fish called the dolphin 
had providentially squeezed itself into the 
opening, and thus saved all from destruc- 
tion. Mr. Colston therefore founded a 
school, and ordered the emhlem of a 
dolphin to be worn as a mark both of his 
gratitude and his deliverance. 

Hear the words of the text, " Even a 
child is known by his doings, whether his 
Avork be pure, and whether it be upright." 

I. I will make some general remarks. 
Solomon was a wise man. The words 
of the text are his own words. The words 
of wise and good men are very much 
regarded. Children are not wise ; they 
know but little ; they stand in need of 
instruction. A teacher should possess 
both piety and wisdom. Children go to 
school to obtain knowledge. A teacher's 
labour will be in vain unless the parents 
unite their endeavours with his exertions 
for the instruction of their children under 
his care. Sometimes, when teachers and 



238 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

parents do their duty, the children seem to 
make no progress. When this is the case, 
there must be something wanting. Two 
things are necessary to make a good 
scholar. The first is, a capacity to learn ; 
and the second is, a desire to excel in 
learning. Where these two are united, 
there is reason to hope that children will 
become good scholars. 

All children have not the same capa- 
city. There is a great difference. We 
often expect more from them than we 
ought. We are apt to think they know 
much more than they really do. Things 
are taken for granted, and the building 
often stands upon a very slender founda- 
tion. We may soon learn this by ex- 
amining the children upon some of the 
most common and familiar terms made 
use of in schools. Some may know; 
others may have known, but cannot dis- 
tinctly recollect ; others are entirely igno- 
rant and at a loss what to answer. 

In schools there is generally a mixture 
of children, good, bad and indifferent. 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 239 

By indifferent children I mean those who 
are sometimes good and sometimes bad. 
They are not always the same, but may 
be compared to weathercocks, turned by 
every fancy, continually changing like the 
wind. 

In schools there are a variety of exam- 
ples, some good and some bad ; but such 
is the depraved state of all nature, that 
children love evil more than good. 

In all schools there are certain rules and 
regulations for the government and order 
of the schools in general. These rules 
and regulations are made known to the 
scholars when they enter the school ; and 
when they are made known, they should 
be carefully observed by the scholars. In 
many schools there are rules which are 
common to all ; these are, silence, order, 
docility, attention, diUgence, good beha- 
viour, obedience, respect, and still tongues 
at home with regard to what is done at 
school. These will apply to every school, 
and they are what every good scholar 
should consider and observe. 



240 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

II. Solomon speaks of the doings, or 
actions of a child. The following are the 
actions and doings of wicked children : 
Lying, swearing, cursing, stealing, disobe- 
dience to parents, unkindness to brothers 
and sisters, idleness and mischief, cruelty 
to dumb animals, improper behaviour at 
home, at school and in the house of God ; 
disrespect to the aged, scoffing at holy 
men or holy things. They lead a wicked 
life, die an awful death, and are miserable 
forever. 

And these are the actions or doings of 
good children : They pray to God, read 
the Scriptures, speak the truth, fear God, 
honour their parents, are kind to all, dili- 
gent and active in the school, kind to ani- 
mals, respectful to the aged, ready to 
relieve the distressed, attentive at school, 
quiet at home, serious and attentive in 
the house of God. They live happy, die 
joyful, and at death enter into eternal 
glory. 

Solomon tells us that even a child is 
known bv his doings, whether his work be 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 241 

pure and whether it be right. If children 
in general are known, scholars certainly 
must be known. Therefore I will endea- 
vour to tell you how the good scholar is 
known by his doings and actions. 

1. A good scholar is known by his 
love of learning, not to read only, but 
every other branch of education. If you 
love learning, my dear little friends, you 
will soon make good scholars ; you will 
soon learn to read, to write and to cipher 
and to speak any language ; but if you 
dread your lessons and books, it will in- 
deed be tiresome work. You will soon 
grow weary. You will go from one 
branch of learning to another, will pretend 
to learn every thing, and, after all, know 
little or nothing at all about any of them. 
You will learn but little while you skim 
the surface. You must apply your mind 
and take delight in all you undertake to 
learn. Then it will only seem an amuse- 
ment to you ; while to the dunce and the 
idler it will be the toil and the hatefuJ 
labour of his life. 

21 



242 DUTIES OP THE SCHOOL. 

2. A good scholar is known by his love 
to his teacher. If you love to be taught, 
you will also love the person who can 
teach you; love those who instruct you, 
as well as the instruction you receive. A 
great deal depends upon love to your 
teachers. If you love them, you will es- 
teem them for their work's sake, you will 
listen to them with pleasure ; but if you 
hate them, all the advice they give will 
be received with prejudice. I love to 
hear you speak of them with pleasure 
and think of them with gratitude. I love 
to see you shed tears of affection and re- 
spect, especially at leaving the school, 
where you have learned the best of les- 
sons ; where you have received from your 
teacher, not the cold treatment of mere 
scholars, but such treatment as children 
receive from a parent. Love your teach- 
er ; love your school and love the scholars. 
Then the school will not be to you, as it 
is to many, like a place of confinement. 
You will not be like many who, as they 
go out of school, shout as if they were 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL 243 

glad that they were let at liberty. Many 
children, in going out of school, remind 
me more of prisoners or captives who 
have gained their liberty and are restored 
to their friends, than of children retiring 
with pleasure from a place of learning. 

3. A good scholar is known by his 
silence. Nothing can be done when all is 
noise and confusion. What think you of 
a hundred scholars all repeating or read- 
ing their lessons aloud ? What think you 
of a hundred scholars all repeating their 
sums aloud, one enumerating, another 
adding up, a third subtracting, a fourth 
multiplying, a fifth dividing and a sixth in 
practice ? What unintelligible language ! 
and the teacher at the same time strain- 
ing his lungs and calling aloud to silence 
and order, but all in vain. He is vexed, 
his mind is harassed and perplexed, one 
scholar asking him one question, and a 
second another, a third showing his copy, 
and a fourth waiting with his sum. But 
this is not all. There is, in many schools, a 
great deal of idle chit-chat. Some child- 



244 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

ren seem as if they had all the miportaiit 
secrets in the world to tell. Why sit 
whispering so much to the next scholar 
that is near you ? Why hinder him and 
yourself too ? Why are four or five to 
lay down their books or their pens to 
hsten to your nonsense ? Be attentive to 
your tasks and keep silence while in 
school. Speak not at all, unless it be to 
ask a question for information, either of 
a scholar who knows better, or of your 
teacher. 

4. A good scholar is known by his 

diligence. He has no idle moments to 

spend, 

" But, like the little busy bee, 
Improves each shining hour." 

how many shining hours some child- 
ren lose ! They do not try to improve, 
they take no pains at all with their copies, 
but hurry them over, and seem glad when 
they are done, that they may have time 
to spend in idleness and talk. 

5. A good scholar will endeavour to 
keep good order. He will not run all 



DITTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 245 

over the school hunting for his books, or 
trying to get the scholars to help him to 
learn his lesson or do his sum. You will 
always see him in his own place. He 
will be careful of his books. They will 
be neatly covered, without scrawls or 
dog's-ears, without blots or dirt. He will 
not write his name in twenty places, as 
some children do, and make their books 
not fit to be seen. When he is spoken to 
he is all attention. He listens to the in- 
structions given with eager desire, and 
when they are finished you may read in 
his countenance that he is pleased that he 
knows more than before. He is also a 
very careful boy with regard to the school. 
He is careful not to bring dirt into it, or 
make any dirt in school by tearing paper 
and throwing it on the floor. He is careful 
not to read any books in school but those 
that he ought to read. He will not waste 
his time in looking at the pictures instead 
of learning his lessons. He is careful to 
read well, to pronounce his words fully, 

21* 



246 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

clearly and distinctly, so that you may 
easily understand him. 

6. A good scholar is known by his 
punctual attendance at the appointed 
hour. You will know him bv his cheer- 
fulness and thoughtfulness. He hastens 
to school with his books under his arm 
or in his bag. He is fearful of being too 
late, but is seldom a minute behind the 
proper time. He is not afraid of sum- 
mer's heat or winter's cold. A little snow 
or rain will not keep him at home. He 
regularly attends at school and is desirous 
of learning something new and useful 
every day. If he is absent from school, it 
must be for something very particular. 
He is perhaps detained at home by illness. 

7. A good scholar is known by his 
respectful behaviour. No black looks, 
no contemptuous whispers, no " answer- 
ing again," when he is spoken to by his 
teacher. When at any time he is re- 
proved or punished, he is not angry, but 
sorrowful. ^' This," he says, (and he feels 
what he says,) "is because it is for my 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 247 

good. My teacher is wiser and knows 
better than I do ; therefore I will endea- 
vour for the time to come to avoid the fault 
for which I am reproved." He never 
leaves the school without paying those 
marks of respect which are due from a 
good scholar to his teacher. 

Once more : A good scholar is known 
by his good example. He is determined 
that none of the scholars shall be the 
worse for his example, but if possible the 
better. He is resolved that none shall 
hereafter say that they should not have 
been punished had it not been for him ; 
that he was their leader in robbing or- 
chards, spoiling birds' nests, or playing 
truant. 0, my young friends, be very 
careful to set a good example while you 
are scholars. Remember how many there 
are who will be ready to follow you if 
you set a bad one. You may be the 
means of leading others by your example 
to shame and disgrace, to ruin in this life 
and everlasting misery in the world to 
come. I cannot finish the marks of the 



248 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

good scholar without saying, that while 
he endeavours to set a good example be- 
fore the rest of the scholars, he will also 
pray for them ; tell them of the love of 
Jesus, and exhort them to seek heavenly 
wisdom from that God who " giveth to all 
liberally, and upbraideth not." He will 
be desirous of pointing out the value of 
their souls, the beauties of the Bible and 
the necessity of a Saviour. He will tell 
them of a teacher that is heavenly and 
divine, and entreat them to go with him 
to the school of Christ, to sit at his feet 
and receive lessons of heavenly wisdom — 
to learn of him who was meek and lowly 
in heart. This is the good scholar, and 
these are the duties of the school. If all 
scholars were known by these marks, 
what happy scholars you would be ! what 
a pleasure it would be to be your teacher! 
what a happy school it would be ! You 
might almost say, 

" I have been there and still will go, 
'Tis like a little heaven below." 

An idle scholar is soon known: he 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 249 

carries the marks of a dunce on his fore- 
head; you may see them in his looks. 
When he walks to school, he stops at every 
corner of the street, he peeps into every 
window, and talks to every idle child he 
meets. His lessons are but half learnt and 
very carelessly repeated. His words are 
badly pronounced and his copy badly 
written. His fingers are stained with ink 
and his books are full of blots and scrawls. 
You may soon know an idle scholar by 
his looks. He is whispering or talking 
aloud ; he is looking about him or cutting 
and spoiling his books and the desk; 
he is continually bringing something to 
school either to eat or to play with ; his 
pockets are full of fruit or sweetmeats; 
his lessons are a burden to him ; he is 
glad when school is dismissed that he may 
go to his play. He is careless of every 
thing; alike indifferent to rewards or pun- 
ishments ; contented to remain stationary, 
while others, who were far behind, over- 
take and travel far beyond him in the 
paths of wisdom. He is a trouble to his 



250 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

teacher, a hinderance to the rest of the 
scholars, a disturbance to the school, a 
grief to his parents, and a shame and a 
disgrace to himself and all his companions. 

" Let me ask you one question, if you 
please, sir." 

Well, my young friend, what is that ? 

"How is a good monitor to be known?" 

He should be gentle and patient to the 
younger scholars, and teach them in the 
same manner as he would like to be 
taught himself He must not speak rude- 
ly or sharply to them. He must not call 
them names or beat them; but if they act 
improperly, he should inform his teacher, 
that he may reprove or punish them as 
he thinks proper. He should be civil, 
impartial and obliging to all. He should 
endeavour to assist them when in trouble 
or difficulty, and take the part of the 
younger scholars when any of the elder 
scholars Avould hurt or ill-treat them. He 
should be a peace-maker and a friend to 
all. This a monitor ought to be in addition 
to the marks of a good scholar. 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 251 

I should now endeavour to improve 
this subject. Children should always 
obey the rules of the school where they 
go : there are right doings and wrong 
doings, or pure and impure actions. How 
careful children ought to be, and watch- 
ful, that their actions may be such as they 
shall never be ashamed of, neither in this 
world nor when they stand before the bar 
of God. 

Take heed that you are not the worse 
for going to school. Remember, that 
" evil communications corrupt good man- 
ners." Let your conversation, your con- 
duct, your example prove that you are a 
good scholar and desirous of gaining use- 
ful knowledge. Let the great end of 
learning to read be, that you may be able 
to read the Holy Scriptures, v/hich " are 
able to make you wise unto salvation." 
Let the great end of your learning to 
write be, that you may be able to commu- 
nicate to those who are afar off the glad 
tidings of salvation. Let the great end 
of arithmetic be, that you may be taught 



252 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

" SO to number your days that you may 
apply your hearts unto wisdom." To 
seek the salvation of your souls, seek to be 
taught by the Holy Spirit and the "great 
Master of assemblies," at whose feet Mary 
sat when she made choice of that part 
which could not be taken away from her. 

There is, in some schools, what is called 
a weekly review ; be prepared for it, and 
remember that Christ will review your ac- 
tions, both good and bad, at the last day. 

There are, in some schools, quarterly 
examinations. Let your lessons be well 
repeated, that you pass through the 
examination with honour to yourselves, 
with pleasure to your teacher, and with 
satisfaction to all who may be present. 

There is, in all schools, a general vaca- 
tion or holiday once a year ; some give a 
longer, some a shorter time. It is a neces- 
sary relaxation to your own minds and 
your teacher's. Health requires it, that 
he may return to his duty, to his arduous 
and important employ, with new zeal and 
redoubled vigour. 



DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 253 

The hour of death may be called a 
vacation or breaking up. Death destroys 
the body and separates the soul from it. 
The vacation destroys order and separates 
the scholar from his teacher. There is an 
end of lessons and learning for a time. 
There is no work nor device in the grave. 
At death, all our labour and toil will 
cease. The Bible cannot be read there, 
no tables repeated there, no copies written 
there. Those fingers that now hold the 
pen will be cold and stiff. No account 
can be cast up there. Now you leave 
the school-room and its duties for a time : 
then you will return to the house ap- 
pointed for all living. But remember 
this, — take notice of it, my dear young 
friends, — at the morning of the day of 
judgment, you will have a sum to do 
of which all the rules in arithmetic can 
furnish no example and give no answer. 
Who can enumerate the ages of eternity ! 
Who can add to eternity ! Who can sub- 
tract or take from eternity ! Who can 
multiply eternity ! Eternhy cannot be 

22 



254 DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL. 

divided ! Happy are those who have 
learned that holy art, that divine arith- 
metic, of numbering their days and ap- 
plying their hearts to wisdom. 

" Lord of the starry world on high, 
To thee I raise my infant cry ; 
hear my lisping prayer, and grant 
The mercies which thou know'st I want. 

' Since I to thee my being owe, 
Teach me betimes thyself to know; 
And give me grace to walk the road 
That leads to glory and to God. 

"To this great end, my parents bless, 
And crown their labours with success ; 
That they may have the joy to see 
Their offspring training up for thee. 

" Give me a ready active mind. 
To useful knowledge still inclined ; 
And grant my memory may retain 
What from my teacher's care I gain. 

"But most of all, assist me. Lord, 
To study and to love thy word; 
Let me its sacred truths imbibe, 
And in my life those truths transcribe. 

"Impress it on my mind, that I, 
A child of earth, am born to die; 
Yet that my spirit shall survive, 
And through eternal ages live." 



A WORD IN SEASON. 255 



LECTURE XII. 

A Word in Season ; or^ Death and Judgment, 

Rev. XX. 12. — ^^dnd I saw the dead^ small and 
great, stand before God^ 

My dear yotjng friends, 

At this season of the year,* you are 
more particularly reminded, by the objects 
around you, of your latter end. All 
nature appears to be dead. The trees 
are without leaves and the gardens with- 
out flowers : the waters are bound in fet- 
ters of ice, and the ground is covered with 
frost and snow. Christmas is past. The 
year will soon be gone, and New-year's 
day is near at hand. 

You live in a world of changes, and 
pass through a variety of scenes. Some- 
times a dark cloud appears, and then a 

♦ Winter. 



256 A WORD IN season; or, 

bright one. The wheel of nature is con- 
tinually turning round : sometimes one 
part is uppermost and sometimes another. 
One event regularly follows another. At 
the command of God, darkness goes away 
and daylight comes : the day gives place 
to night, and the night again to day. It 
is now winter, but this will be followed 
by spring : then comes the summer, after- 
wards fall or autumn, and then the winter 
will return again. " Every purpose has 
its time, and to every thing there is a sea- 
son." For while the earth remaineth, 
"seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, 
summer and winter, day and night shall 
not cease." 

"Thus shall the moving engine last, 
Till all his saints are gathered in; 
Then for the trumpet's dreadful blast, 
To shake it all to dust again." 

You are now in health, but pain and 
sickness may soon come upon you. You 
are young, but not too young to die. 
Death and judgment are subjects which 
are by no means agreeable to the young. 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 257 

You are looking forward to years of plea- 
sure, to a long life of health and happi- 
ness : but you are born to trouble. Your 
days may be few and evil. You appear 
like flowers in spring. You are the 
objects of delight and admiration : but 
" man cometh up like a flower, and is cut 
down ; he fleeth also as a shadow, and 
continueth not; he dieth and wasteth 
away, yea, he giveth up the ghost, 
and where is he ? Your days are deter- 
mined, the number of your months are 
with God ; he hath appointed thy bounds 
and over them you cannot pass. It is 
appointed unto all once to die." 

I stand on holy ground. 

The subjects of this lecture are serious 
and awful ; full of the most important 
consequences, not only to the children 
now present, but to every child in this 
wide world. my soul, how many are 
now plunging into an awful eternity I 
my young friends, what shall I say ? Can 
I hope to prevail on any of you to attend 
to these serious things ? They belong to 

22"* 



258 A WORD IN season; or, 

you all. Every one is equally concerned. 

Not a child here can say, " I have nothing 

to do with death and judgment." These 

bodies must return to the dust from 

whence they were taken, and your souls 

to God who gave them. 

" The dust returns to dust again, 
The soul, in agonies of pain. 
Ascends to God, not there dwell, 
But hears her doom and sinks to hell." 

Let me lead you to an open grave. 
There I see you weeping over a father or a 
mother, a brother or a sister, standing by 
that house which is appointed for all 
living. I see your eyes filled with tears, 
and your little hearts ready to burst with 
grief. Shall I address you ? Shall I speak 
in vain ? Shall I spend my strength for 
naught? thou Eternal Spirit of God, 
soften every hard heart; impress every 
mind. He that hath ears to hear, let 
him hear. 

"Stoop down, my thoughts, that used to rise, 
Converse a while with death ; 
Think how a gasping mortal lies, 
And pants away his breath. 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 259 

"His quivering lip hangs feebly down, 
His pulses faint and few ; 
Then speechless, with a doleful groan 
He bids the world adieu. 

"But oh! the soul that never dies, 
At once it leaves the clay ; 
Ye thoughts, pursue it where it flies, 
And track its wondrous way. 

" Up to the courts where angels dwell, 
It mounts, triumphant there ; 
Or devils plunge it down to hell, 
In infinite despair." 

" And I saw the dead, small and great, 
stand before God." First, Death is 
mentioned in the words of the text. 
" And I saw the dead." What is death ? 
Ah, my yoimg friends, we must experi- 
mentally know what death is. You and 
I must die. Let us think of death. It is 
a serious thing to die. Think what it is 
to be sick : what pain you then feel. 
But what is that, when compared with 
death ? Let us suppose the king of terrors 
standing before our eyes, with the fatal 
dart in his hand. His arm is already 



260 A WORD IN season; ok, 

lifted up; the blow is certain, and the 
aim is sure. Our last and solemn hour is 
now come, and we must bid a long, long 
farewell to all things here below. Our 
lips quiver; our breath fails; our sight 
grows dim; our hands and feet are be- 
dewed with a cold sweat, and our cheeks 
covered with the paleness of death ! 
What an affecting thought. This warm 
active body becomes cold and still ; these 
feet will cease to walk ; these hands will 
no longer obey the will ; these eyes will 
be closed ; this tongue will speak no 
more ; this heart will cease to beat, and 
my blood cease to flow ; the pulse stops, 
and the lungs no longer perform their 
office; the breath is gone, to return no 
more. The shroud is sent for, and 
wrapped round the body; the coffin is 
made, and the grave is dug. Nothing 
now remains but to carry you to your 
long home, and cover you with earth, and 
leave you to mingle with the dust out of 
which you were made. 

It is an awful thing to die. Death is 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 261 

terrible to the Avicked, for they " are driven 
away in their wickedness." 

" Death ! 'tis a melancholy day 
To those who have no God ; 
When the poor soul is forced away 
To seek her last abode." 

At death, all your plans and schemes 
must be laid aside : all your joys and 
sorrows will be ended : you must leave 
all your playmates and playthings behind 
you. Then you will hear no more ser- 
mons ; sing no more hymns ; read no 
more chapters ; repeat no more catechism. 
Your place at school, at church, and at 
home by your own fireside, will be empty. 
You will never sit there nor here, any 
more, forever. Remember, you cannot 
be good children after you are dead, if you 
are bad all your life-time. You cannot 
then pray to God for pardon of your sins : 
you cannot seek the Lord Jesus Christ for 
your Saviour, when you are confined in 
the grave. 0, my dear children, think of 
death. 



262 A WORD IN SEASON ; OR, 

" O, now improve the hours you have, 
Before the day of grace is fled ; 
There's no repentance in the grave, 
Nor pardon offered to the dead." 

What is it that makes you so much 
afraid of death ? It is because you are 
wicked. Sin makes you afraid to die, 
and it is sin that is the cause of death ; it 
is part of the punishment which God told 
our first parents, Adam and Eve, would 
be the consequence of breaking his com- 
mands and eating the forbidden fruit. 
*'In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt 
surely die." "Wherefore as by one man 
sin entered into the world, and death by 
sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for 
that all have sinned." 

All men must die, young and old, rich 
and poor. Death pays no respect to any, 
but visits all in their turn. To-day lie 
takes the king from his throne ; to-mor- 
row the beggar from the dunghill. To-day 
he takes the infant from the bosom of its 
mother; to-morrow a lovely youth from 
school. 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 263 

"For when he summons, then we all must go, 
To endless happiness or endless wo." 

Your wisdom will not save you from 
death : Solomon died, and so must you. 
Your beauty will not save you from death : 
Abigail died, so must you. Your strength 
will not save you : Samson died, so must 
you. Your goodness or piety will not 
save you : David died, and so must you. 
Your sparkling eyes and your rosy cheeks 
will not save you from the pointed arrows 
of death. Your gold and silver will not 
bribe death, nor tempt nor persuade him 
to spare you a little longer. You know 
you must die. You often feel sick and ill, 
and sooner or later it will end in death. 
You often see funerals pass as you walk 
along the streets. Scarcely a day passes 
but some one is carried to the grave. Let 
every child say : — 

" There is an hour when I must die, 

Nor do I know how soon 'twill come; 
How many children, young as I, 

Are called by death to hear their doom !" 

The time when and the manner how 



264 A WORD IN season; or, 

you may die are both unknown to you. 
Nothing is so sure as death, and nothing 
so uncertain as the time. You may be too 
old to Uve, but you can never be too 
young to die; you should therefore live 
every hour as if you were to die the 
next. 

The Assyrian king, who spent his life 
in wickedness, said, when he came to die, 
"0 if I had thought I should have died as 
I do, I would not have lived as I did." 

A fine boy, about twelve years of age, 
set off to school at two o'clock. He was 
met by a boy riding a horse. The boy 
asked him to ride the horse to the stable, 
to which he consented. He had not been 
seated more than two minutes before the 
horse stumbled and threw him. In the 
fall, his thigh was broken in two places ; 
and before he could crawl away a loaded 
wagon passed over him, and after lying 
two hours, in the greatest agony, his soul 
entered into the eternal world. 

The manner in which you may die is 
at present unknown. Some die what is 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 265 

called a natural death, and others what 
is called a violent death. There is but one 
way into this world, but there are many 
ways out of it. Some die a painful and 
others an easy death. Some there are 
who are called very suddenly into the 
eternal world. 0, my dear young friends, 
how very important and necessary it is to 
be always prepared to die. 

"Dangers stand thick through all the ground 
To push us to the tomb, 
And fierce diseases wait around 
To hurry children home." 

Thus we find that " it is appointed unto 
all once to die, and after this the judg- 
ment. For the trumpet shall sound, and 
the dead shall be raised incorruptible. 
And I saw the dead, small and great, 
stand before God." By these words we 
find that not only the hour of death, but, 

Secondly, The day of judgment is men- 
tioned in the words of the text. From 
the tenth verse to the end of the chapter, 
we have a brief but particular account of 
the proceedings of the day of judgment, 

23 



266 A WORD IN season; or, 

that great, that awful day, for which all 
other days were made. 

That there will be a day of judgment 
is plain from the words of the text. This 
is not the only part of the word of God 
where the day of judgment is mentioned. 
I could tell you of many others, but two 
or three will be sufficient. " For God 
will bring every work into judgment, 
whether it be good or whether it be evil. 
Even a child is known by his doings, 
whether his work be pure and whether it 
be right. For we shall all stand before 
the judgment-seat of Christ." Yes, my 
young friends, the great day of his wrath 
will come, when Jesus shall be revealed 
from heaven in flaming fire, taking ven- 
geance on them that know not God and 
that obey not his gospel. 

If there is to be no day of judgment ; 
if there is no account to be given, no 
reckoning to be made, no tribunal before 
which you are to be brought, why are 
you afraid to die ? Why hide your sins 
as if you were ashamed of them ? Why 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 2G7 

tell SO many stories to cover your faults, 
and thus endeavour to escape punish- 
ment? Why are you afraid of the anger 
of God? Your own conscience condemns 
your conduct : your sins will certainly 
find you out. It is conscience that re- 
minds you of a judgment to come. It 
was conscience that made Felix tremble 
when Paul reasoned of righteousness, 
temperance and a judgment to come. 
Why did the knees of Belshazzar smite, 
one against the other, when he saw the 
handwriting on the wall, and was told 
by Daniel that he was weighed in the 
balance and found wanting? It is con- 
science that approves of that which is 
right, and disapproves of that which is 
wrong. That silent monitor is placed by 
God in every bosom. Attend to the 
voice of conscience. Despise not the 
advice of conscience, and never act con- 
trary to it. 

Did not God judge the wickedness of 
man in the days of Noah, when the 
wicked were swept away by a flood of 



268 A WORD IN season; or, 

water! Did not God judge Sodom and 
Gomorrah, when he poured out fire and 
brimstone and destroyed the wicked peo- 
ple and children that were there ? If 
God has punished some for their wicked- 
ness, you may depend on it that he intends 
to punish all. 

Jesus Christ is appointed by God the 
Father to be the Judge of the world at 
the last day. He will appear in his own 
glory, in the glory of his Father and of 
his holy angels. Every eye shall see him, 
and they also which pierced him ; the wick- 
ed shall weep and wail because of him. 

A good man, who had served God for 
thirty years, had five sons and two daugh- 
ters, who, in spite of all his advice and 
all his prayers and tears, were very wick- 
ed children. In January, 1809, he dream- 
ed that the day of judgment was come. 
He saw the Judge on his great white 
throne ; the holy angels sat around him, 
and all nations were gathered before him. 
He and his wife were standing on the 
right hand of the Judge, but he could not 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 269 

see any of his children. " I cannot bear 
this," he said, " I must go and seek them." 
So he went to the left hand and found 
them all seven standing together, tearing 
their hair and beating their breasts and 
cursing the day that ever they were born. 
As soon as they saw him, they caught 
hold of him and said, " father, we will 
part no more." He said, " My dear child- 
ren, I am come to try, if possible, to get 
you out of this dismal situation." He 
took them all with him; but when he 
was come within bow-shot of the Judge, 
he thought he cast an angry look at him 
and said, "What do thy children with 
thee now ? They would not take thy 
warning when on earth, they shall not 
share the crown with thee now. Depart, 
ye cursed." At these words he awoke, 
bathed with sweat and tears. He re- 
lated his dream to his family one Sun- 
day evening. The effect of it was that 
five of the children were converted to God. 
The other two were afterwards brought to 
acknowledge the truth, in answer to prayer. 

23* 



270 A WORD IN season: or 



Thirdly. We find by the words of the 
text who those are that will be judged: 
the small and the great. Children, as 
well as those who are grown up, must 
stand before God : the young and the old. 
There you must stand and give an account 
of all your bad actions, of all your evil 
thoughts and idle words. For you must 
give an account of all the deeds done in 
the body, both good and bad. Even the 
secrets of your hearts will be made 
known, and for every idle word you must 
give account to God. Awful thought ! 
How many bad, wicked, sinful words 
have you spoken ! 

"And must the crimes that we have done 
Be read and published there 1 
Be all exposed before the sun, 
While men and angels hearl" 

"But," says a little girl, "why must 
we stand before God? What will he say 
to us? What actions shall we have to 
give an account of?" 

Lying, Sabbath-breaking, disobedience 
to parents, wasting your time in idleness 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 271 

and mischief, and many more that I can- 
not now name. Some children are very 
sly; but these sly cliildren do a great deal 
of mischief. Some are very bold in sin ; 
but at that day they will be ashamed. 
Your secret sins which have been com- 
mitted in the black and dark nights will 
be exposed. There are many sins which 
you have committed that are only known 
to God and yourselves. How many sto- 
ries have you told, and then said that you 
were only in sport. It was only a joke ; 
you did not mean what you said. Many 
things you have said, yet it would have 
been far better for you to have been born 
dumb than to have uttered such filthy 
words and taken the name of the Lord in 
vain : for you must answer for all your 
cursing and swearing. 

Let those who laugh and mock at 
serious things take care, for they must 
give an account of what they say. 

There will be many witnesses against 
you, so that you will not be able to make 
any excuse. Your parents must be against 



272 A WORD IN season; or, 

you. I must be a witness against you at 
that day, if you do not repent and seek 
for the pardon of your sins before you die. 
Angels will witness against you. Your 
companions will also be witnesses against 
you. Conscience will also accuse you. 
Satan will accuse you, and God himself, 
who searches all hearts, will punish you 
as sinners. The Judge will be impartial. 
He will pay no more respect to those 
children that are rich than he does to 
those who are poor. 

The consequences of the day of judg- 
ment to good children will be delightful. 
It will wipe off all that disgrace and 
scorn and contempt that have been thrown 
on them by the wicked. We shall then 
know who loved God and Jesus Christ 
most. And he will love them, and tell 
them so before men, angels and devils. 
He will say to them, " Come, ye blessed 
of my Father, inherit the kingdom." 

But how awful will the consequences 
of the day of judgment be to those who 
know not God ! Wicked, ungodly child- 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 273 

Yen ! They will be exposed ; their secret 
sins will be brought to light ; they will be 
driven from God's tribunal with a curse, 
and tormented in hell forever ! Hear 
their awful and tremendous sentence, 
'' Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- 
lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his 
angels." This is the last closing scene. 
The sentence will be executed. This is 
awful to think of, but much more tremen- 
dous to experience. 0, my dear children, 
my bowels yearn over you. I pity your 
awful condition from my soul. that 
my head were waters and mine eyes a 
fountain of tears, that I might weep day 
and night over the misery of wicked and 
careless children. 

I shall conclude these important and 
solemn subjects, by a few remarks, suita- 
ble to you, my young friends ; to the subject 
before me, and to the season of the year. 
1. Death may have been very near to 
some of you in the past year. Is it so, my 
young friends ? Does the colour of your 
garments show that what I say is true ? 



274 A WORD IN SEASON ; OR, 

Has not death taken from you a dear com- 
panion ? Has he not separated from you 
a beloved schooi-fellow, one who sat near 
you at school, perhaps on the same bench, 
or in the same class? But the place is 
now filled by another. Is it true that you 
have been deprived of a sister or a brother ? 
Have you lost a tender father or an affec- 
tionate mother ? Ah, my young friends, 
he has also visited me the last week, and 
snatched from me a beloved child. My 
feelings and yours are something similar. 
I can " weep Avith those who weep." 
Even now I see the tears starting from 
your eyes. that you may be prepared 
to die whenever death may come. 

2. I remark that you must all die. 
When I look into yonder grave-yard, I 
see many hillocks, many grave-stones : 
perhaps there may be an open one, which 
will, ere long, be filled by a cold and life- 
less body. 

" And must this body die, 

This mortal frame decay 1 
And must these active limbs of mine 

Lie mouldering in the clayl" 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 275 

Is it an infant, a child, or a young per- 
son in the bloom of youth ? Is it one who 
has seen many summers, and passed 
through many winters in this vale of 
tears ? Ah, my young friends, it has been 
said, Xerxes wept over his vast army of 
1,000,000 men, to think they would all die 
within a hundred years. I might weep to 
think you will not only die in that time, 
but that your eternal state will be unalter- 
ably fixed. Before a hundred years are 
past and gone, you will be happy or mise- 
rable forever. 

3. Many of you (perhaps I might say, 
all of you) are unprepared to die. I would 
not for a thousand worlds say that you 
may count on many years to come. Long 
life falls to the lot of very few of Adam's 
children. The remainder of your days on 
earth may be but few. What if an angel 
should come down from heaven, and tell 
one of you little boys or one of you little 
girls, that before this year expires, you 
must die and appear before the bar of 
God! 



276 A WORD IN season; or, 

My dear children, this year is almost 
closed ; yet near as it is to the end, you 
may die. I repeat it, before Wednesday 
next,* an arrow from the bow of death 
may pierce your heart ! Are you fit to 
die ? Are you sure of going to heaven, 
if you should die ? or do you think that 
you are so sinful that you never can be 
admitted into that holy and happy place ? 

4. If you are not prepared for the hour 
of death, how will you be able to stand 
before God at the day of judgment? 
What a solemn, awful day it will be to 
thousands ! I fear that you would give 
but a sad account of yourselves. How 
have you spent your time ? What answer 
will you make when the Judge shall ask a 
reason for your sinful, wicked conduct in 
the present world ? 

5. Remember that " we must all appear 
before the judgment-seat of Christ." We 
must all be there ! The small and great 
must stand before God. Your parents 

* New-year's day. 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 277 

and friends, your brothers and sisters 
must be there. God forbid that I should 
be a witness against you at that day. 
However painful the thought may be to 
me now, yet it must be so. I must declare 
before all the world, before angels and 
men, that I have solemnly warned you of 
your danger. Your conscience tells you 
so at this moment : but at the day of judg- 
ment it will speak in a much louder voice 
and in a more unwelcome tone. * Prepare 
to meet your God !' * Flee from the wrath 
to come.' Jesus waits to receive you in 
his arms, — 

" And he can make a dying bed 
Feel soft as downy pillows are." 

God is waiting to be gracious. Let me 
entreat you, let me beg of you, let me 
persuade you, to seek for pardon and a 
new heart. If you value your own souls; 
if you wish to be happy when you die ; 
if you wish a crown of glory and eternal 
joy, think on what I have said ; think on 
what you have now heard. that you 

24 



278 A WORD IN season; or, 

were wise, that you understood these 
things ; that you would consider your 
latter end. 

6. Adore the goodness and mercy of 
God in sparing you another year. How 
has the year been spent? In what manner 
have the months, the weeks, and the days 
been employed? What have you been 
doing all your life-time ? 

" Can you give for every day 
Some good account at lastl" 

What do you think ? Are not some of 
you weary of attending to this disagreeable 
and melancholy subject? It is a serious 
thing to die, and very awful indeed if you 
are unprepared for death. 

" Oft as the bell, with solemn toll, 
Speaks the departure of a soul : 
Let each one ask himself, ' Am I 
Prepared, should I be called to die 1 

" Only this frail and fleeting breath 
Preserves me from the jaws of death; 
Soon as it fails, at once I'm gone, 
And plunged into a world unknown. 



DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 279 

"Then, leaving all I loved below, 
To God's tribunal I must go ; 
Must hear the Judge pronounce my fate, 
And fix my everlasting state. 

*' But could I bear to hear him say, 

'Depart, ye cursed, far away; 
With Satan, in the lowest hell. 
Thou art forever doomed to dwell.' 

"Lord Jesus! help me now to flee 
And fix my hopes alone on Thee : 
Apply thy blood, thy Spirit give. 
Subdue my sin and in me live. 

"Then when the solemn bell I hear, 
If saved from guilt, I need not fear. 
Nor would the thought distressing be, 
Perhaps it next may toll for me." 



280 THE missionary's farewell. 



LECTURE XIII. 

The Missionary's Farewell. 
1 John ii. 18. — ^^ Little children^ it is the last time. 



ii 



My dear young friends, 

Amidst a multitude of preparations 
and a variety of pressing engagements, I 
have taken this opportunity of bidding 
you farewell. I am now about to close 
my public labours among the young in 
this part of the world. In a few days I 
shall sail for India, where there are thou- 
sands of children who never heard of 
Jesus, of God, of heaven or hell. 

"How do I pity those that dwell 

Where ignorance and darkness reigns; 
They know no heaven, they fear no hell, 
Those endless joys, those endless pains." 

That I shall see you again in this world 
is at present uncertain. I had taken my 
farewell of you once before; but God, 



THE xMISSIONARY's FAREWELL. 281 

whose ways are not like ours, brought 
me back agam, I hope for your good: 
yes, my dear young friends, I hope there 
are those before me who will have reason 
to bless God for my return. When I 
consider that, since I landed the second 
time in this city, more than a thousand 
children have heard of Jesus; and that 
on my way and while in the city of New 
York, I preached to more than three 
thousand different children ; I am con- 
strained to say that surely I have not 
laboured in vain, nor spent my strength 
for naught. God has said, that his word 
shall not return unto him void, but that it 
shall accomplish the thing whereunto he 
hath sent it. 

My dear young friends, as it is the last 
time, I hope you will be attentive. The 
salvation of your souls lies very near 
my heart ; death may come, and your 
ears may never again hear the sound of 
the preacher's voice addressing you from 
this sacred place. You may not hear 
such instructions any more. I have read 

24"* 



282 THE missionary's farewell. 

of a missionary who went to preach to 
the heathen. They were displeased, they 
would not listen to him, and were going 
to murder him. He told them how cruel 
and unkind it was in them to endeavour 
to take away the life of a man who had 
them all in his heart, at the same time 
opening his bosom, where he had con- 
cealed a small looking-glass. The savages 
came, they saw their faces in the glass ; 
they were surprised and really thought 
that what he said was true. This glass 
was indeed the means of turning aside 
their hatred, and saved the life of the mis- 
sionary. Ah, my dear children, could 
you see my heart, could you at all times 
know my thoughts, you would see and 
think that the salvation of your souls 
mounts above every thought. All other 
things seem to me of little importance. 

Remember how I have been with you 
at all seasons, and have taught you pub- 
licly and from school to school. You 
have heard my prayers, seen my anxiety, 
witnessed my tears. I have visited you 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 283 

when sick, and instructed you when in 
health. Many a weary step have I walk- 
ed, to tell you of Jesus and remind you of 
the time appointed for the monthly lecture. 
Yes, my young friends, I may say, that 
" I have not shunned to declare unto you 
the whole counsel of God." Neither 
summer's heat, nor winter's cold, have 
kept me back from endeavouring to do 
you good. that the Lord may bless 
my feeble efforts, and the instructions be 
remembered and read with gratitude and 
pleasure. 

" I pray that you may early prove 
The Spirit's power to teach ; 
You cannot be too young to love 
That Jesus whom I preach." 

I. As this is the last time, there are 
some important things which I hope you 
will consider. You have been told, that 
there is a God who made all things, the 
heavens over your heads and the earth 
under your feet ; the sun, moon and stars 
are the work of his hand ; he made the 
fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and 



284 THE missionary's farewell. 

the beasts of the field. God created you. 
He formed your bodies from th© dust of 
the earth, and breathed into them "the 
breath of hfe." 

He requires that you should love him 
with all your heart, and serve him with 
all your strength ; that you should obey 
all his commands, and at all times fear to 
offend him. You ought to say, and every 
good child will say, 

" My heart shall be in pain to hear 
Children affront the Lord above ; 
'Tis that great God whose power I fear, 
That heavenly Father whom I love." 

You are all sinners, young in years, but 
old in sin. While you live in sin, you are 
enemies to God. You cannot go to hea- 
ven if you die in sin, but must be cast 
into hell, together with all those that for- 
get God. 

You are all in danger of eternal misery 
in hell ; because the wrath of God will 
be revealed from heaven against all un- 
godliness and unrighteousness of men 
You have been warned to flee from thf) 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 285 

wrath to come ; but you have despised the 
warning. The Lord has called, and you 
liave refused; he has stretched out his 
hand, but you regarded it not. You have 
set at naught all his counsels and would 
have none of his reproof. The Lord also 
will laugh at your calamity and mock 
when your fear cometh ; when your fear 
cometh as a desolation and your destruc- 
tion as a whirlwind : when distress and 
anguish come upon you, then you shall 
call, but he will not answer; you shall 
seek the Lord early, but shall not find him, 
because you hated knowledge and did not 
choose the fear of the Lord. 

If you, by reason of sin, are in danger 
of eternal misery, where will you find a 
refuge from the v/rath of God? He is 
angry with you every day. Jesus alone 
can save you ; his love to sinners caused 
him to make himself an offering for sin. 
His blood was shed for the remission of 
sins. His arms are open to receive you. 
" Him that cometh unto me," saith Jesus, 
" I will in no wise cast out." pleasing, 



286 THE missionary's farewell. 

delightful words, " in no loise cast out." 
Though your sins exceed the number of 
the stars of heaven, or the sands on the 
sea shore, he will not refuse to pardon 
them. Come then, my dear young friends, 
come to Jesus, and he will not send you 
away. that you may seek him early, 
and find him precious to your souls. Re- 
member, there is no one, either in hea- 
ven or earth, that can save you, but Jesus. 
Trust in him; plead his merits, his suf- 
ferings and death ; and trust in him 
for the salvation of your souls, for a 
place in heaven aud an unfading crown 
of glory. 

Your hearts are wicked ; yes, they are 
deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked. " He that trusteth to his own 
heart," says Solomon, " is a fool ;" there- 
fore, trust in the Lord with all thine heart 
and lean not to thine own understanding. 
Keep your hearts with all diligence, for 
out of them are the issues of life. Your 
hearts of stone must be changed to hearts 
of flesh. 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 287 

"True, you are young, but there's a stone 
Within the youngest breast. 
Or half the crimes that you have done 
Would rob you of your rest." 

While you have wicked hearts, you can- 
not do any thing that is good. There is 
none that doeth good. All your actions 
■will be sinful ; you will not love God ; 
you cannot bear to hear of death or judg- 
ment, heaven or hell ; every thing that is 
serious will be disagreeable to you : but 
without a new heart, without you are 
made new creatures, without holiness, 
none shall see the Lord. 

Another important truth is, that you 
cannot change your own heart; you 
cannot be good of yourselves. God must 
make you good, and he can do it, and will 
do it, if you pray to him. He will give 
you his Holy Spirit, if you ask him for it. 
Therefore remember that the Holy Spirit 
alone can renew your hearts : he can make 
you see what great sinners you have been 
against God. Remember that the eye of 
God is always upon you ; that you are 



288 THE missionary's farewell. 

accountable to him for all you think, say, 
or do. He has taken notice of your con- 
duct while you have been in this house. 
" Keep thy foot," says Solomon, " when 
thou goest to the house of God, and be 
more ready to hear than to give the sa- 
crifice of fools; for they consider not 
that they do evil." God knows all the 
lectures you have heard, all the hymns 
you have sung, all the instructions you 
have received ; he knows all the sermons 
you have heard ; yes, for every word that 
you have heard, you must give an account 
at the last day. God will judge the 
secrets of men ; he will bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, 
whether it be good or whether it be evil. 

II. As this is the last time, I will 
endeavour to give you some advice, which 
I hope you will remember. 

Hate sin of every kind, in every shape. 
Flee youthful lusts. Abstain from the 
very appearance of evil. think of 
the consequences of sin ; it caused God to 
deluge the world with a flood of water. 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 289 

It caused God to rain, from heaven, fire 
and brimstone upon the cities of Sodom 
and Gomorrah, and destroy all the cities 
of the plain with a fiery flood. Sin opened 
the bottomless pit, and kindled those flames 
which will never be quenched. But, 
what is more still, sin was the cause of all 
the suflerings of the Son of God. Sin will 
ruin your souls and plunge them into eter- 
nal misery. 

Begin and end every day with prayer 
to God. Pray frequently, earnestly and 
sincerely. In every trial and distress, seek 
the Lord by prayer ; pour all your sorrows 
into his bosom, cast your burden upon him, 
for he careth for you. How can you go 
out in the morning without prayer to God.^ 
You cannot protect yourselves from dan- 
ger. You cannot preserve your souls 
from sin. Never lie down in your beds 
before you have begged the protection of 
Him whose arm is almighty. How can 
you close your eyes to sleep, when you 
know not but that you may not wake be- 
fore the morning of the day of judgment? 

25 



290 THE missionary's farewell. 

Always speak the truth. Do not tell a 
lie even in jest. Remember the punish- 
ment of Gehazi. Think of the awful 
death of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. 
God could strike you dead, when you tell 
stories, as easily as he did them. " There- 
fore, because there is wrath, beware, lest 
he take thee away with a stroke, and then 
a great ransom shall not deliver thee.'* 

" O may you always watch your lips, 
Lest you be struck to death and hell ; 
Since God a book of reckoning keeps, 
For every lie that children tell." 

Love God: love him for his goodness; 
love him for his mercy. Love the 
Saviour : love him for what he has done 
for you, for what he is now doing for you, 
and love him for what he has promised to 
do for you. 

Be not careless about the eternal wel- 
fare of your soul, nor inattentive to the 
instructions of your teachers. Forget not 
God in your mirth. Indulge not angry 
words. A soft answer turneth away 
wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 291 

Despise not that which is good. Swear 
not at all. Bless, and curse not. Let 
your communications be yea, yea, and 
nay, nay. Think not to hide any of your 
sins, for be sure your sins will find you 
out. 0, my dear young friends, seek the 
Lord while he may be found, call upon 
him while he is near. Let not your good- 
ness be like the morning cloud or early 
dew, which soon passeth away. Keep 
thy tongue from evil and thy lips from 
speaking guile. Depart from evil and do 
good ; seek peace and pursue it, because 
the eyes of the Lord are upon the right- 
eous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 
taste and see that the Lord is good ; 
blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

in. As this is the last time, I will 
remind you of some duties which you 
ought to perform. 

Obedience to parents. Children, obey 
your parents in all things, for this is well 
pleasing unto the Lord. Honour thy 
father and thy mother, that thy days may 
be long in the land which the Lord thy 



292 THE MISSIONARY S FAREWELL. 

God giveth thee. Love your brothers and 
sisters ; be kind to them all ; do all you can 
to assist them ; teach them and pray for 
them. Pay the greatest respect to the 
aged ; take heed of mocking and despising 
gray hairs. Thou shalt rise up before the 
hoary head and shalt honour the old man, 
saith the Lord. Remember the punish- 
ment of those children that mocked 
Elisha. 

•' When children, in their wanton play, 
Served old Elisha so ; 
And bade the prophet go his way, 
* Go up, thou bald head, go :' 

God quickly stopped their wicked breath* 

And sent two raging bears, 
That tore them limb from limb to death, 

With blood and groans and tears." 

Read good books, but above all read 
the Holy Scriptures. Read them every 
day. love the Bible, for it is the best 
of all books. Follow its directions, make 
it your guide in every difficulty, make 
it your companion in all your travels; 
never make a voyage on the water or a 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 293 

journey on land without that precious book. 
Remember that the Bible is full of truth ; 
it is excellent in all its parts. 

" Precious Book, of books the best, 
Dearest gift of God but one. 
That surpasses all the rest, 
Gift of God's beloved Son." 

Read it for instruction ; it contains hea- 
venly wisdom. The Bible will impress 
your minds, renew your hearts, enlighten 
your understandings, regulate your con- 
duct, guide your actions, influence the 
choice of all your companions in life. It 
will increase your happiness here and 
hereafter. The more you read it, the 
more you will love it. It will be your 
support at death. then, my dear child- 
ren, do not forget to search the Scriptures, 
for they show the way to eternal life 
through Jesus Christ, and bear witness 
that he is the only Saviour of sinners. 

IV. As this is the last time, I will 
mention some blessings which I hope you 
will enjoy. The best of all blessings is a 

new heart. This, God will give you if 

25* ■ 



294 THE missionary's farewell. 

you ask him. Without this blessing you 
cannot be happy; without a new heart 
you cannot enter heaven. 

The next blessing which I hope you 
will enjoy is, the teaching of the Holy 
Spirit. If you have him for your Teacher, 
you will be happy indeed. 

Another blessing is, the love of Christ. 
If you love Jesus, he will love you, God 
will love you, angels will love you, good 
men will love you. If you are made the 
partakers of the grace of God, and taught 
by the Holy Spirit to see the evil of sin 
and your need of a Saviour, then I hope 
you will enjoy the pardon of sin : God is 
able, and will pardon you all for Christ's 
sake. Then, instead of a guilty conscience, 
instead of being afraid to die, you will 
long to go to heaven, and dwell with God 
and Jesus Christ, with all the holy angels, 
and all the good children that are there? 
forever and ever. 

that you may enjoy all the pleasures 
of early piety ; that you may seek the 
Lord early and find him. You will never 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 295 

repent of begiuning to serve the Lord too 
soon. 

" You can't too early serve the Lord, 
Nor learn too soon his fear ; 
Nor prize too much his precious word, 
Or praise his name too dear." 

Remember now thy Creator in the days 
of thy youth. Now is your accepted 
time, now is the day of your salvation. 
The ways of the Lord are ways of plea- 
santness, and all his paths are paths of 
peace. that you may enjoy all the 
blessings of the gospel, all the comforts of 
religion while you live, and eternal glory 
in the world to come. If therefore you 
wish to be happy, let me entreat you to 
be good. Think of these things. You must 
die ; but when, you cannot tell, and if you 
die before you are partakers of the bless- 
ings I have now mentioned, you will be 
miserable forever. 

V. As this is the last time, there is one 
thing that I must warn you of. I shall 
not see you any more in this world. I 
shall see you again in the world to come. 



296 THE MISSIONARY S FAREWELL. 

I shall see you at the last day, at the bar 
of God. Remember this ; there we shall 
meet again. Ah, my dear children, shall 
I see any of you at the left hand of the 
Judge ? Shall I see any of the children 
that have attended these lectures driven 
down to hell ? Shall I hear the Judge 
pronounce that awful sentence, " Depart 
from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 
prepared for the devil and his angels ?" 
painful thought ! God forbid that any of 
you should still remain careless and wick- 
ed, and at that day be doomed to eternal 
misery. Let it not be. Seek the Lord 
while he may be found ; flee from the 
wrath to come ; pray for a new heart and 
the pardon of your sins. Remember that 
you must all stand before the judgment- 
seat of Christ ; you must give an account 
of the deeds done in the body. that I 
may see you at the right hand of the 
Judge ; that I may meet you with joy in 
heaven above. Remember that eternal 
misery will be the portion of wicked child- 
ren. 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 297 

And now, my dear children, farewelL 
May you fare well now, while you are 
young. God hath said. Say ye to the 
righteous, that it shall be well with him ; 
for they eat the fruit of their doings. Wo 
unto the wicked ; it shall be ill with him, 
the reward of his hands shall be given 
him. 

May you fare well when on your knees 
at a throne of grace. May you fare well 
when you read the Holy Scriptures. May 
you fare well when you are laid on a bed 
of afHiction. When pain and anguish 
come upon you, then may God support 
you ; may you find comfort in trusting to 
his promises and relying on his mercy ; 
may his arms support you while walking 
through the dark valley of the shadow 
of death ; then may you fear no evil. 
May it be well with you at your dying 
hour. that you may leave the world 
with joy, and enter on that glorious rest 
above in a triumphant manner. May it 
be well with you at the day of judgment, 
when you stand before the great white 



298 THE missionary's farewell. 

throne. that it may be well with you, 
and may you hear the Judge of all say, 
*' Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit 
the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world." Then shall 
you receive a harp of gold and a crown 
of glory, which shall be the reward of all 
that serve God and love his Son Jesus. 
There you will be forever before the 
throne of God, and dwell in his presence, 
where is fulness of joy, and at his right 
hand, where are pleasures forevermore. 

It has been suggested to me, by a pious 
friend, to appoint a certain day in every 
year, for you to think of the instructions 
that you have heard, and to pray for the 
little children in India. In order that you 
may remember, I shall, on the first day 
OF May, in every year, set apart some 
portion of that day to think of and pray 
to God for the little children in America, 
and for you who have attended these 
monthly lectures in particular. Then will 
I plead with God, that he may bless you 



THE missionary's FAREWELL. 299 

and cause his face to shine upon you, and 
that he will enable you to remember the 
instructions that you have heard. And I 
hope you will, on that day, pray for me, 
that I may be made useful to the dear 
children in that part of the world. It may 
not be amiss for you, on that day, to read 
this Farewell Address ; it will help to put 
you in remembrance of what you have 
heard. 

And now, my dear children, once more 
I bid yo\x farewell. When we meet again, 
may it be in heaven. May God be your 
God, your guide even unto death. May 
he be your Father and Friend ; may Jesus 
be your Saviour ; may the Holy Spirit be 
your Teacher; may the Bible be your 
treasure and delight ; may heaven be 
your eternal home, and everlasting happi- 
ness your endless reward. Amen. 

"Come, children, hail the Prince of Peace, 
Obey the Saviour's call : 
Come, seek his face and taste his grace, 
And crown him Lord of all. 



300 THE missionary's farewell. 

" Ye lambs of Christ, your tribute bring, 
Ye children, great and small ; 
Hosannas sing to Christ your King, 
O ! crown him Lord of all. 

" This Jesus will your sins forgive ; 
For you he drank the gall, 
For you he died, that you might live, 
To crown him Lord of all. 

" Let every little girl and boy 
Who dwell upon this ball. 
Their tongues employ, with songs of joy, 
And crown him Lord of all. 

" Ye angels, round his throne unite. 
While we before him fall ; 
Ye saints, assist with all your might. 
To crown him Lord of all. 

*♦ Let all these children. Lord, be thine, 
When saved from Satan's thrall ; 
Then we shall meet, at Jesus* feet, 
To crown him Lord of all." 



THE END. 



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